Nine years ago Clodagh Dunlop, Ciara Murray, and Lisa Lecky were strangers.
Three women in their thirties, from different parts of Northern Ireland, with their lives ahead of them.
They had things in common, they enjoyed their work - Clodagh as a police officer, Lisa an administrator and Ciara in a school office.
Clodagh and Lisa were runners, while Lisa and Ciara were both expecting a baby.
Little did they know later that year they would all suffer life-changing strokes and their paths would cross at the Regional Acquired Brain Injury Unit (RABIU) at Musgrave Park Hospital.
Since then they have forged a lasting friendship and are speaking out about their experiences to provide hope for others and support the Northern Ireland Chest Heart & Stroke’s (NICHS) Gift of Hope Christmas campaign.
Clodagh Dunlop from Magherafelt, was 35 when she suffered a stroke, resulting in locked-in syndrome.
“For almost three months I was unable to move or speak, but my mind remained completely alert, and I was fully aware of everything happening around me.
“Eventually, I started to show some signs of recovery and was transferred to RABIU where I had to learn to breathe, swallow, walk and talk again.”
In the bed opposite at RABIU was Lisa Lecky from Belfast, who suffered a stroke aged 37, while eight weeks pregnant.
“After my stroke I had to wait until after Orla was born to learn to walk again due to my growing bump, so I had to use a wheelchair,” she said.
“As a young mum having to use a wheelchair and not being able to look after myself or my babies was just awful.”
Lisa attended RABIU for physiotherapy and “heard on the grapevine there was another woman there who had had a stroke and had a baby”.
Ciara Murray (32) from Enniskillen suffered a stroke at 36 weeks pregnant.
“The day after my stroke the doctors removed a clot from my brain and delivered my baby at the same time,” she said.
“I was put into an induced coma, and I remained unconscious for 10 days.
“When I finally came round, a nurse on the stroke ward broke the news that I’d had a baby boy, James.”
Admitted to RABIU, Ciara met both friends and found it “great to talk to people who know what you are going through”.
Clodagh added: “Lisa and Ciara have been such a huge part of my recovery because they totally understand the feelings and emotions I’ve had around stroke”.
Ursula Ferguson from NICHS said: “We hope these inspirational young women will encourage the public to help us be able to give hope for the future to others affected by devastating chest, heart and stroke illnesses.
“Through determination and hard work, Clodagh, Lisa, and Ciara have reclaimed the lives they deserve - and we want to be able to help as many people as possible to do this too.”
For information, visit www.nichs.org.uk/stroke-support
