By Katrina Batten
Every year about 12,000 people will suffer a stroke or a transient ischemic attack. Photo: 123RF
Nearly a third of the thousands of New Zealanders who suffer strokes every year are aged under 65.
While older survivors recover, experts say they are often in a better financial position and have access to a pension, but support for younger patients is limited.
Advocates would like to see more support for those struggling to restore their lives and access to groups to share their stories
"Everything changed when I had to get up at 4am and I had to go to the bathroom and I realised I couldn't walk," Naomi Lamond told RNZ's First Up.
"I was walking along the harbourside and all of a sudden there was a pain at the back of my head and I thought I'd broken my neck," Tommy West said.
"I had a bleed in my brain and as a result of that I was left with permanent disabilities, so I have no feeling or sensation down one side of my body," Tereki Stewart said.
Every year about 12,000 people will suffer a stroke or a transient ischemic attack, which is a brief blockage of blood flow to the brain, often called a mini-stroke.
And 25 to 35 percent of those are aged under 65 years old.
Stroke Foundation spokesperson Nicky Mayne said about 4000 New Zealanders under the age of 65 have a stroke each year.
"It's no longer considered a disease of the elderly," she said.
Mayne said younger stroke sufferers like Naomi, Tommy and Tereki were less likely to get a quick diagnosis because it was so unusual.
'I didn't really receive any medical support'
Tommy was only 27 years old when he had a stroke about eight years ago.
"Their immediate suspicion was I was on drugs, which in some ways has to be a suspicion I suppose, but i wasn't on drugs. And my girlfriend was telling them, 'he's not on drugs, he doesn't take drugs'. It was once we got to hospital that they did a scan on my head, and saw there was a pool of blood inside an area called my left temporal lobe."
Tommy had a work visa from the UK at the time of his stroke. He spent three weeks in hospital and three weeks in a rehabilitation centre in Wellington.
"After the rehabilitation centre I didn't really receive any medical support. Fatigue is something a lot of stroke survivors feel, it's like an overwhelming exhaustion."
Mayne said whilst older stroke survivors are often in a better financial position or receiving a pension, support for young stroke survivors can be limited.
"Unfortunately stroke is not covered by ACC so it is around the work and income streams of benefits. We do provide a return to work service at the Stroke Foundation, so we are specifically tailored to understand the impact of the stroke on the person, and can do graduated return to work plans, can actually support people with their fatigue in their early days, help them to have a successful return to work."
She said ongoing medical support was often tailored more towards older patients.
"Not everyone, once they leave hospital, does get community rehab. And I think just because of resource constraints, I'm not sure of the exact numbers but there's probably only a third of people get any community rehab at all.
"Yet with stroke being a leading cause of adult disability, younger stroke survivors are living with their impairment longer, and it's affecting their families and jobs in greater ways than if a person was over 65."
Tereki was 52 when he suffered his stroke three years ago. He is now on the board of the Stroke Foundation and on the road to recovery, he feels there is a stigma attached and he struggles to tell people what happened to him.
"There's a bit of judgement that can happen alongside that, particularly when you aren't over 65, and you are younger and you've had a stroke, then it feels like there's judgement around that, because you must be a really unhealthy person if you've had a stroke."
Naomi Lamond was a busy vet nurse before her stroke at 53. She is back working part-time and grateful for ACC support due to the nature of her stroke. Most are not so lucky.
Tommy is also back at work, and met Naomi through a support group in Wellington. They say meeting other stroke victims has been integral to their recovery.
"We need to educate or tell people, just tell your stories," Naomi said.
"And it's really good therapy.... It's so important to be able to have a group of people to reach out to." .
"I think it's a very special experience meeting meeting other young stroke survivors," Tommy said.
"We all have this incredible unity."
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