Inspired to support kids after stroke
When Maria Fredatovich had a stroke at on the operating table at the age of 13, her right side was completely paralysed.
Doctors told her parents that she would never walk again.
Fredatovich was diagnosed with epilepsy while at primary school and as her seizures worsened, it was suggested brain surgery was an option. Then on the operating table, Fredatovich had a stroke.
To begin with, she couldn’t shower, dress or feed herself without help. She lived at the Wilson Home on Auckland’s North Shore for six months where she had daily physio, occupational therapy and speech language therapy.
‘‘Growing up, as far as I was concerned what happened, happened and I was never really curious as to how or why.’’
Fredatovich described her younger self as an able-bodied tomboy who was into sports who often got up to mischief.
‘‘Suddenly you wake up and you are half paralysed.’’
But the experience being bedridden and relying on others in her formative years made her fiercely independent. Despite the stroke, she never felt disabled.
‘‘I got the sense it was up to me to decide what became of my future, no one else could build my muscles for me or make it better for me, it had to be me that put in the hard yards to make it work.’’
Her experience led her to launch the Young Stroke Thrivers Foundation in 2016. It aims to empower children affected by a stroke by providing them with opportunities for an active and fulfilling life.
Fredatovich is not a fan of the word survivor, or victim for that matter, which is why she calls those who have had a stroke like herself, thrivers.
Stroke affects people of all ages, with around a quarter of all strokes occurring in people under the age of 65. Ministry of Health data shows about 40 children have a stroke every year in New Zealand.
There are no other organisations in New Zealand dedicated to supporting children after a stroke.
She recalled the isolation she felt. There were support groups for older people but as a 15-year-old, as there was no-one in a similar position she could share her experience with.
‘‘There was no support and there was no help, it was quite a lonely time.
‘‘I think that made me more determined just to get out there and do stuff.’’
After finishing high school, she moved to London for a gap year which she described as ‘‘one of the best years of her life’’.
She worked as a matron at a boarding school in Surrey then travelled with her family through Europe, and has since been to over 30 countries.
The stroke meant Fredatovich needed to keep active to exercise her muscles and joints. But having spent a large amount of time at the gym doing ‘‘tedious exercises’’ since her teenage years, she wanted to do something different.
After several years working and travelling abroad, she returned to New Zealand in 2011. Following a holiday with a cousin in Wanaka she decided to move to the lakeside town. It was while living so close to the slopes that she got into skiing.
‘‘That was my mission, to have a go and find an outdoor sport that would work for me.’’
Fredatovich threw herself into adventure sports like canyoning, whitewater rafting, snowkiting and ‘‘dabbled in’’ kitesurfing.
But it was skiing that she really loved and the freedom it gave her.
‘‘I’m all about giving things a go and finding out if they work for you or if you enjoy them rather than saying you can’t.’’
In her late 20s, Fredatovich met a young woman whose life had also been affected by stroke which was ultimately the catalyst for her to start the foundation.
Auckland girl McKenzie KerrBell, had a stroke when she was 12 years-old and the two were put in touch by another family affected by stroke.
Fredatovich met with the KerrBell family several times and she understood was McKenzie was going through.
Having realised the importance of being active, Fredatovich decided to raise to money so McKenzie could travel to Wanaka to participate in an adaptive snow sports programme.
‘‘I just think it is so adaptable and it works for anyone.’’
The trip was a success in the years since, she has raised money for several other children to go skiing, as well as take dance classes and tennis lessons and participate in other activities to help re-build their confidence.
In 2015, she travelled to Queenstown with another two young kids, Sofia and Hugh for a week on the snow with four days of skiing at Cardrona.
‘‘Their courage and determination and most importantly their confidence within themselves was just priceless, it grew immensely.
Fredatovich said it had been a bit of a waiting game as she built up the reputation of the organisation and applied for funding in the hope of being able to offer more children the same opportunities.
The other difficulty was connecting with children who’d had a stroke.
It had been rewarding to be able to connect young people who otherwise didn’t know anyone else who had recovered from a stroke.
‘‘It’s understanding what the other is going through without even having to say anything.’’
It was common for kids affected by stroke to have self-esteem issues and Fredatovich had learnt it was important they were provided with opportunities.
‘‘I understand what they are going through, they have their whole lives ahead of them.’’
The kids remained her focus and she wanted to grow the foundation so anyone under 18 affected by stroke had the chance to be empowered and connect with others.
She would continue to raise awareness of stroke in children and the work of the foundation, while helping to connect kids and provide support for their families.
If every child who’d had a stroke in New Zealand had the chance to give activities a go in a bid to rebuild their confidence, Fredatovich would be happy.