The Arsenal Foundation has helped to fund InterAct Stroke Support, a charity that uses actors to read to stroke survivors, in hospital and via video calls, to help stimulate the brain and aid recovery. Helen Stern, aged 95 and from London, tells us how it has helped.
“I am a mother of three children and a wife. I worked from the age of 14 and went to night school to study and became a shorthand/typist. I worked for Film Laboratory and bumped into all the famous actors.
“I met Malcolm, the ‘love of my life’, when I was 20. It was a blind date, and we have been together ever since. Seventy-four years! Last year we celebrated our 70th wedding anniversary. He was in the RAF, and when he left we hitchhiked all over Western Europe.
“My hobbies are painting, drama, singing, listening to music, poetry – we have our own poetry readings with friends once a month in our home – and reading books to each other, Malcolm and I, in the evenings. And I learned to swim in my seventies!
“I don’t actually remember suffering a stroke. There was no warning as I had a fall that damaged my brain. I had brain surgery and InterAct’s readings at St Pancras hospital were part of my rehabilitation process. I remember falling as I walked to the bathroom. I was unconscious on the floor; Malcolm heard the fall and immediately called for an ambulance.
“My operation was at St Mary’s, and the after-effects were limited function physically and cognitively. Luckily, it has much improved since.
“I became aware of InterAct Stroke Support by an actor who came to St Pancras to read and introduced herself and the service to me and Malcolm.
“The service has helped in so many ways. Firstly, it broke me out of my inertia. Secondly, it was a unique experience and fun to hear poetry being read by Paddy, our InterAct reader, and by my husband, who would join in. It also helped with my concentration and focus. When we realised how positive the effects were, we made it our new routine and Paddy was able to read with us at home through the InterAct at Home service.
“My husband Malcolm said, ‘I consider her to be an important part of Helen’s rehabilitation.’ And I am so grateful as this is because of InterAct.
“Since my injury I now require carers, with Malcolm of course being my main one. I have limited movement and slight cognitive impairment. My hopes for the future are to carry on, as much as possible, with my hobbies, going out and seeing old friends and becoming more independent as the days go by. And to continue taking the tea trolley around with the biscuits and cakes in the break during our poetry sessions!
“I think it’s important for football clubs to help local communities and charities. We lead by example and it’s important to give back and help those less fortunate. A big thank you to The Arsenal Foundation for supporting InterAct.”
How Interact can help
Medical professionals such as the former NHS England lead for stroke, Professor Tony Rudd, recognise what a difference InterAct makes to his patients: “The InterAct service at St Thomas’ over the last 15 years has had a huge impact on many of my patients. I have seen people who have been severely disabled by their strokes, often with problems communicating, looking more cheerful and starting to become much more engaged with their treatment after visits from the InterAct actors.”
For more information visit interactstrokesupport.org.
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