How Alison fought back from a stroke at age of just 33
ALISON Brown was just 33 years old when her life was changed forever by a stroke.
A passionate Thai boxer, she had more than a decade of experience in the sport under her belt. But one day while boxing, she twisted her neck.
Over the coming months she started to suffer from severe headaches, pressure in her head, fainting and feeling unwell.
Her symptoms remained for 10 months without any proper diagnosis – until a terrifying incident in February last year.
Alison was warming up for a street dancing class when she rolled her neck around and suddenly collapsed. The dance studio called an ambulance and she was rushed to hospital, but she says she was told she was suffering from a migraine and discharged.
Still in extreme pain, Alison was convinced it was something more serious.
“I was collapsing, my face and arm were numb and I kept passing out. It was in searing pain. It was like a thunderclap headache, the pain was unbearable,” she said.
She decided to visit Salford Royal, as she knew of the hospital’s good reputation and was confident they’d be able to help.
It was here that scans finally revealed she’d suffered a bilateral artery dissection – damage equivalent to being in a car crash and one of the most common causes of strokes in young people.
The bleed had caused damage to the part of her brain responsible for balance, stability and vision, which were all affected.
“After they found it, I stayed in hospital”, she said. “I couldn’t walk, I felt like I’d been hit with a baseball bat. It’s hugely affected my life and everyone around me. It’s amazing I’m still here.
“I couldn’t work or drive, I couldn’t even turn around a corner without feeling sick,” said Alison. It would take months of intensive physiotherapy for her to regain her independence.
Now aged 34, Alison, who lives in Heywood, has just been able to return full time to her job as a commercial property paralegal.
She is also keen to make others aware of the symptoms of a stroke, especially in young people who might think they won’t be affected.
“I don’t think people are aware of the different types of strokes there are. People think it’s older people, but there are many different ones,” She said.
Sadly, Alison has had to give up her beloved Thai boxing, on the advice of doctors.
“When you do sports you just take the risk of injury, it’s just something you do. I’d done Thai boxing for 10 years and I loved it,” she said. Instead, she has ploughed her energy into other types of exercise.
She will mark a huge milestone in her recovery by taking on the Stroke Association’s 5km Resolution Run at Heaton Park in the coming months.
“I used to do lots of exercise before my stroke, but have never been a runner. The first event I took part in was the charity’s Step Out for Stroke in Heywood, which I found really hard, as I was so scared of collapsing.
“But it helped me so much to get outside and build my confidence.
“The Resolution Run is the next step for me. It’s going to be a major challenge, but I’m determined to do it and mark a milestone in my recovery. I’m sure I’ll be jogging on the day but I’ll have my friends running alongside me.”
The charity has provided support to Alison since the early days after her stroke and she says she doesn’t know how she would have coped without them.
She added: “I was massively supported by the Stroke Association, from advice about my finances and disability applications, to adapting things around the home and help with appointments.
“It made such a difference. When you’re told you’ve had a stroke, it comes as such a shock.
“If the Stroke Association hadn’t been there, it would have been so difficult to try and cope with it all.
“I want to raise vital funds through the Resolution Run so the charity can support others affected by stroke.” Sian Thomas, community and events fundraiser at the Stroke Association, said: “We’re thrilled Alison is taking part. We’re looking forward to cheering her on alongside our other participants as she makes her way through the park.
“A Resolution Run is exactly that – a resolution for the New Year that counts. It’s the ideal event for people who want to do something fun together, while getting more active in 2018.
“Every five minutes in the UK, someone’s life is turned upside down by stroke. By signing up to a Resolution Run, each runner will help us do so much more to support stroke survivors and their families as they rebuild their lives.
“At least half of strokes could be prevented if people made simple lifestyle changes, such as keeping blood pressure under control, eating healthily and taking regular exercise.
“The money raised through the Resolution Runs will help the Stroke Association to fund vital research and support people affected by stroke in the north west.”
The run was set to take place on Sunday, March 4, but has been postponed until a later date due to the poor weather.
For more information about entering or volunteering, visit stroke.org.uk/resolution, email resolution@stroke.org.uk or call 0300 330 0740.