Thank you for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

IF YOU THINK YOU WOULD BE EXEMPT FROM HAVING A STROKE THEN READ ON................

I'm not collecting my pension, I am still experiencing the joys of young adulthood or I was until the 31st May 2009.

A girly night out with my friends dancing, drinking and meeting new people turned into my worst nightmare.

A stabbing pain in the back of my head, instant loss of sight in one eye, paralysis down the right side of my arm and leg and slurred speech could have led my friends to believe I had instantly been drugged.This was not the case - 

I WAS HAVING A STROKE AT 23 YRS OLD - SOMETHING I THOUGHT COULD NEVER HAPPEN TO ME.

Time was at an essence and the quick response from three of my best friends in getting me into an ambulance as quickly as possible then onto  'Stroke Unit'. Where I then speant the next 5 weeks and to this day still require regular visits.

A slow recovery from having a blood clot to the left side of my brain, temporary loss of sight, weakness of limbs down the right side of my body meant I spent endless hours being tested to try and find out why!

I've since learnt I had a stroke, which may not be my last but I have recovered sufficiently enough to complete the challenge of Climbing in on Sunday 30 May 2010 (one year to the day I had my stroke) with 20 friends and family. I would like to raise money for the Charring Cross Hospital Stroke Unit.

I wish to raise as much money as possible to donate towards an invaluable piece of equipment. A cardiac monitor at a cost of around £1-1.5k is required in order to test patients for atrial fibrillation (rapid heart beat) 20% of stroke victims have atrial fibrillation which, usually poorly diagnosed but with this monitor it can be picked up early, which means the AF can be treated - a factor in preventing strokes. CAN YOU PLEASE HELP ME TO ACHIEVE THIS GOAL?

Fitness and mobility is also an important part of recovery for stroke victims and I also would like to help buy more fitness equipment for the hospital, strange though it may seam, funds (around £500 plus) are urgently needed to buy Wii equipment and an LCD television. The St Mary's therapist team offer Wii to help the fitness/rehabilitation of stroke patients, but the Charring Cross team cannot, without the kit. Trust me this will not only build fitness, but will add fun at a time when there may not seem much to smile about. If there were any further funds, our third item we would like to buy would be a video camera that records posture and sitting positions - both as a record for the hospital and as a way of illustrating to the patient what changes need to be made to their posture - and later what has been achieved. So please kindly dig deep to make your donation.

If what happened to me, ever happens to anyone you know. Please remember the phrase 'Act F.A.S.T' and look out for the symptoms below

Face - Has there face fallen on one side? Can they smile?

Arm - Can they raise both arms and keep them there?

Speech - Is there speech slurred?

Time - Time to call 999 if you see any single one of these signs

So please donate what you can afford and I pray what happened to me does not happen to you or anyone you know. Please donate now whilst you are on my web page.

Kindest Regards

Jenna Ward and The Mount Snowdon Team xxx

 

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