NI stroke survivors get counselling funded by National Lottery

Announcing the counselling service initiative, the Stoke Association said that many of those affected by strokes have been experiencing increased anxiety and depression during the Covid-19 lockdown.

Marie Penney of the association’s First Steps emotional support service said the award of almost £49,000 from the lottery’s community fund will help support a number of people across Northern Ireland.

“Stroke survivors and carers are telling us that they are struggling emotionally and this funding will allow us to provide the support they need wherever they are in Northern Ireland,” she said.

“The Covid-19 crisis is a difficult and worrying time for everyone and we know that both stroke survivors and their carers are experiencing increased feelings of anxiety, depression and isolation,” Ms Penney added.

Denise Watson, 47, who is originally from Co Fermanagh but now living in Belfast, was rushed to Antrim Area Hospital in January 2018 after a second stroke.

She was left feeling anxious and fearful her ordeal was not over.

“After I came home from hospital I just couldn’t get the fear of having a third stroke out of my head,” she said.

“I felt very anxious and emotional every time I spoke about my experience. I didn’t talk to anyone about how I was feeling because I felt like I didn’t want to worry them even more”.

Ms Watson said that finding appropriate counselling had been problematic.

“I’m so grateful to the staff who work on the stroke ward,” she said.

“They were so kind and reassuring and it was my consultant in the RVH in Belfast who tried to find me ongoing support and counselling without success until she was able to refer me to the Stroke Association’s counselling service in spring 2020”.