Over half of UK adults think strokes don’t affect young people. Katie from Southport story
Over half (60%) of the UK population wrongly believe that strokes don't happen to young adults, according to new research revealed today by the Stroke Association1.
Despite 54% of UK adults knowing someone who has had a stroke, there is still a common public misconception that the condition only affects older people, when in fact one in four strokes happen in people of working age2. The charity has released the data ahead of World Stroke Day (Sunday 29 October), to warn that not only can stroke affect anyone at any age, but that young stroke survivors are missing out on significant milestones in their lives as a result.
The charity also carried out a survey of over 2,800 stroke survivors3, which shockingly, found that a quarter of young stroke survivors aged 18-60 (25%) feel their stroke has robbed them of their future.
Over a third of survivors aged between 18-60 (37%) said that before their stroke, they didn’t think strokes happened to people of their age. While over half of these young stroke survivors (56%) say their stroke has prevented them achieving an important life goal, such as progressing their careers or starting new relationships.
For survivors aged 18-60, the Stroke Association’s survey revealed:
Over half of stroke survivors (51%) said their stroke had negatively impacted their careers, and stopped them getting a job, being promoted or changing career.
A quarter of stroke survivors (26%) said their stroke had stopped them achieving their dream of going travelling.
Around 16% of stroke survivors said their stroke had stopped them from making new friends.
More than one in ten (11%) said their stroke prevented them from gaining new qualifications.
Almost one in ten (9%) said their stroke has stopped them finding a partner.
In addition, almost two thirds of those surveyed (62%) said they now feel like a different person since their stroke. The effects of stroke are often devastating, with lives changed in an instant and survivors often left with serious long-term health issues. The research found that a staggering three quarters (78%) of stroke survivors aged 60 and under are struggling with fatigue since their stroke, while almost two thirds (61%) are living with depression or anxiety. More than half of respondents aged 60 and under (58%) now experience one-sided weakness, while almost two thirds (63%) are living with memory problems following their stroke.
Worryingly, a quarter of stroke survivors aged 60 and under (25%) also told the Stroke Association they had initially been diagnosed with another illness or condition, before being diagnosed with a stroke. The charity is warning that younger adults are potentially being misdiagnosed because even health professionals may not suspect a stroke when a younger adult has stroke symptoms.
Katie Ryan Palmer, from Southport, was just 20 and preparing to return to university when she had her stroke. Despite the seriousness of her condition, paramedics and medical staff at the hospital initially thought that she must be drunk or have taken drugs due to her age.
In fact, Katie, who at the time felt she may faint on the way to a friend’s party, was having a stroke that was caused by a serious bleed on her brain.
Katie said: “I felt like a hammer had hit the left back of my skull – like there was a huge dent. I remember thinking it was something minor which I needed to sleep off - I didn’t even know what a stroke was. The ambulance took over an hour to arrive and they assumed at first that I must have been on drugs because I was so young.”
After Katie’s Mum accompanied her to hospital and Katie was moving around a great deal yet not waking up, staff decided to give her a scan, as a final precaution, before sending her home. However, it was a shock to everyone when doctors discovered that Katie had suffered a major bleed on her brain. Katie was moved to a specialist hospital and put in an induced coma for 16 days.
After brilliant neuroradiology by Dr Puthuran, Dr Chandran and their team, Katie came out of the coma. There was no swelling of her brain and she continued to recover during a further four week stay in hospital. As she began to recover, Katie was tested by occupational therapists. Katie found her OTs very generalised in their approach.
Katie said: “I hate to say it, but I didn’t find the Occupational Therapy testing or suggestions useful at all. They were not culturally appropriate and, as my family knew nothing about it, the OTs had no accurate baseline information about me. I knew that if I could just get home I would recover quickly by recovering memories from being in a familiar environment.
“All Ots and an Advanced Nurse Practitioner kept saying I ‘used to go to university’ and I ‘used to speak differently.’ This was very frustrating as I planned to return to university and the staff had not met me prior to my stroke, so had no idea at all how I used to speak.”
Katie’s mum (a teacher) and brothers were all instrumental in her recovery. They knew that occupational therapy should begin immediately after a person suffers a stroke, so used every minute of visiting time as personalised therapy sessions as soon as they were allowed to visit Katie. One of Katie’s brothers created a programme of activities for her and everyone followed it.
From providing a fidget cube, paper on a clipboard and a gravity-defying pen which encouraged Katie’s ‘mark-making’ and emergent writing, whilst she was on a ventilator, to other activities such as creating a book of laminated photographs, completing crosswords and other muscle stimulating activities, the intensive programme created for Katie was vital in her recovery.
Katie feels that the perseverance and determination of those closest to her was vital.
Katie said: “I struggled so much with my memory and writing, but they encouraged me to keep going and it was invaluable. Keeping small notebooks with me at all times to make notes and lists has helped me combat any issues as well as organising everything in my phone calendar”
Amazingly, Katie’s university helped her to return to her studies within two weeks of her discharge. Lockdown proved to be a blessing, too, as studying at home meant that Katie could manage her fatigue and other stroke symptoms.
Katie said: “I was fortunate that I finished my degree during Covid. It meant that I could have naps in between lectures and tutorials and have more rest with less travel too. I needed to adjust and learn coping strategies and methods. When I came out of hospital, I weighed 7 stone. My memory still wasn’t the best and I struggled with remembering things and spelling but everything is improving. My third year tutor was kind and patient; he tracked my progress.”
Now, Katie wants to work with the Stroke Association to let people know that having a stroke, even at such a young age, does not mean the end of your life and she is living proof.
Katie adds: “I wasn’t able to look after myself, at first, but I am able to do so much more now. People need to understand that stroke isn’t the end; it’s the beginning of something new and it does not have to hold you back from achieving anything. I went back to university and work. Believe in yourself, be determined and never give up. You can do it, too!”
There are over 100,000 strokes each year and 1.3 million stroke survivors living in the UK today, with these numbers only set to grow. With an increasing number of people surviving stroke and an ageing population, by 2035, the number of stroke survivors living in the UK is expected to rise to over 2 million. The estimated overall cost of stroke in the UK is set to rise from £26 billion in 2015 to £75 billion in 2035, an increase of 194% over 20 years4, presenting increasing societal challenges in future.
The Stroke Association is aiming to raise awareness of the support it provides for stroke survivors of any age across the UK, to help rebuild lives and support stroke survivors to achieve their life goals.
Alexis Kolodziej, Executive Director at the Stroke Association, said: “Our research highlights that people still think stroke is a condition that only affects older people. It’s crucial that we challenge this misconception and make people aware that stroke affects young adults too.
“Stroke simply shouldn’t be a key milestone in a young adult’s life. When planning for the future, no one prepares to have a stroke. Yet one in four strokes happen in people of working age and around 400 children have a stroke in the UK every year.
“After a stroke, life changes in a flash. Two thirds of people who survive a stroke find themselves living with a disability. As a result, young stroke survivors are having important milestones and their planned futures stolen from them, while they have to learn to adapt to their new life affected by stroke.
“At the Stroke Association, we know the value that life after stroke support plays in rebuilding lives. A stroke doesn't have to stop you from doing the things you want to do. The Stroke Association provides support that covers every aspect of a survivor’s recovery, so you are not just living to survive, but able to live life again.”
If you know a stroke survivor of any age, visit stroke.org.uk/worldstrokeday to find out more about support available and ensure they don’t miss out on important life milestones. To find out if any of our services are available in your area, you can use our search tool or call the Stroke Helpline on 0303 3033 100.
About the research
The UK wide population statistics are based on a nationally representative online survey conducted by 4Media among 1,001 respondents from the UK. The research fieldwork took place on 26 September–28 September 2023.
The Stroke Association additionally surveyed 2,858 stroke survivors from across the UK, with 971 respondents aged 60 and under.
References
Research conducted by 4Media on behalf of the Stroke Association, September 2023.
Stroke Association: What is stroke? https://www.stroke.org.uk/what-is-stroke/are-you-at-risk-of-stroke
Research conducted by the Stroke Association among 2,858 stroke survivors, of which 971 were aged 60 and under, September 2023.
Current, future & avoidable costs of stroke in the UK: https://www.stroke.org.uk/sites/default/files/current_future_avoidable_costs_of_strokesummary-report.pdf Page 13
About the Stroke Association
Stroke strikes every five minutes in the UK and it changes lives in an instant.
The Stroke Association is a charity working across the UK to support people to rebuild their lives after stroke. We believe that everyone deserves to live the best life they can after stroke. From local support services and groups, to online information and support, anyone affected by stroke can visit stroke.org.uk or call our dedicated Stroke Helpline on 0303 3033 100 to find out about support available locally.
Our specialist support, research and campaigning are only possible with the courage and determination of the stroke community and the generosity of our supporters. With more donations and support, we can help rebuild even more lives.