Strong after stroke

TANYA MURPHY

THREE years after a Right Thalamic Stroke left her with permanent nerve damage on her left side, Tara-Lee Henry will walk 50 kilometres in the month of November to raise money for the Stroke Foundation.

Tara-Lee was only 28 years old and eight weeks pregnant in 2017 when she suffered the stroke, which was caused by a combination of clotting from pregnancy hormones, and a congenital heart defect called Patent Foramen Ovale which she didn’t know she had.

It took months of practice to re-learn how to use her left arm and hand by practicing piano with her friend, a music therapist, and to this day she still suffers from vision impairment, fatigue, and balance and coordination issues.

However, none of that has stopped Tara-Lee from pursuing her dreams, getting back into her career, trying her hand at salsa dancing, and now preparing for the arrival of baby number three.

She has started Strollers 4 Stroke, a group of Cairns mums who will meet up for morning walks throughout the whole month of November until reaching the total of 50 kilometres, as part of the Stroke Foundation’s annual Stride4Stroke campaign.

Joining Tara-Lee in the challenge is Sarah Sheehan, who had a stroke at age 38 in February this year, six days after the birth of her daughter Stevie.

The left side Parietal Lobe Stroke has left Sarah with right side weakness and she is also getting intensive therapy for speech and language issues.

“I’m really happy to help raise money for an organisation that has helped families like ours, and an organisation that can help save lives with their research and community education,” said Sarah.

“Before my stroke I lived an active lifestyle and a goal of mine is to get back in to playing sport. This challenge will help me to get more active.

“Stroke recovery takes a lot of motivation, but also a lot of patience. You have to celebrate the small wins.”

Tara-Lee said 50 kilometres was a challenging but achievable goal for them.

“When you have a brain injury it takes a lot more energy to do anything than it would normally, so we have to be mindful that we set realistic daily goals for ourselves,” she said.

“It’s not easy, but having a positive attitude can have a huge impact on how well you recover after a stroke. If you give yourself time and effort you can improve.

“The biggest thing is being able to ask for help when you need it. When I first had this stroke, I didn’t realise I was able to get access to physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech pathologists, psychologists and more.

“A person who’s had a stroke is not in a frame of mind to advocate proactively for their own health, and family and friends often don’t know what’s available or where to turn for help, so the Stroke Foundation offers valuable advice and support.

“We’re so grateful to our wonderful family and friends for their support and we’ve been blown away by the community support for our fundraiser.”

To donate, visit www. stride4stroke.org.au/fundraisers/Strollers4Stroke and you can follow the girls’ progress by searching for “Strollers 4 Stroke” on Facebook.