Thank you for the music: Karaoke star loses speech after stroke but still sings Abba hits to let grateful family hear her voice
Daughter says mum’s an inspiration
Adevastating stroke just days before Christmas left Andrea Green fighting for her life as doctors told her family to prepare for the worst.
Today, five years later, while her mobility and speech are severely limited, the karaoke queen from Paisley can sing verses from her favourite Abba songs.
“Mum started singing Mamma Mia in the hospital. We were shocked she could do it and remember the words,” said her daughter Stacey.
“She can sing a verse at a time. It’s incredible because, when she sings, we actually get to hear her voice again.
“I still have a voicemail from before she had her stroke that I’ll never delete because it’s the last time I actually heard her speak.”
Andrea was just 45 and in good health when she had a stroke. She was left paralysed down her right side and, five years on, still struggles with her speech.
But Stacey and sister Lauren have found their own way to communicate with their mum through gestures, single words and even some singing.
“Sometimes if she is trying to tell us something that she likes or needs, she’ll sing the jingle of a TV advert so we know what she‘s talking about,” added Stacey.
Before her stroke, Andrea, now 50, was sociable, independent and loved karaoke nights down the pub with friends.
“Mum was always busy. She liked going shopping and went on holiday to Blackpool herself. She hardly ever sat down.
“She’s a big Abba fan. Mamma Mia was one of her favourite karaoke songs.
“We sang it together at my hen party four years ago in Glasgow, which was really special.”
Music is processed by the right side of the brain, meaning some survivors of a left-hemisphere stroke retain the ability to sing even if they are unable to speak.
Stroke choirs have been set up around the world – and some survivors credit them with helping to regain their speech.
Christine McAlpine, lead stroke clinician at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, explained: “Sometimes people can sing when they are not able to speak because a different part of the brain controls singing and awareness of music compared to speech.
“Research suggests listening