'It’s okay to have a bad day, but each new day is an opportunity for recovery'

Magherafelt woman Clodagh Dunlop is a dedicated campaigner to stroke survivors and the reform of stroke services in Northern Ireland. 

Clodagh, who was recently made an MBE for her services, was just 35 when a brain stem stroke left her unable to speak or move while knowing everything that was going on around her.

Clodagh underwent a procedure called a thrombectomy to remove a clot in her brain. 

Seven years on, this procedure which saves brains and changes lives is still not available 24/7 in Northern Ireland. 

Clodagh is a fervent supporter of the 'Saving Brains' campaign and has been urging the Health Minister to keep his pledge to rectify this by the end of 2024.

On April 6 2015, Clodagh suffered a brainstem stroke. 

She needed a surgery called Thrombectomy to remove the clot from my brainstem and restore the blood flow to her brain. 

This operation saved her life.

In 2015, this surgery was only available on Mondays to Fridays from 9am to 5pm. 

As Clodagh had a stroke outside of these hours, on a public holiday, this caused a huge delay in treatment.

Clodagh said: “Without a thrombectomy I would be dead. The thrombectomy team at Royal Victoria Hospital Belfast came in out of hours and performed my surgery saving my life. Due to the delay I now live with significant disabilities.”

The campaigner explained she does not want anyone else having to live out her story. Thrombectomy is now available seven days a week but is not available 24/7. 

The Department of Health made commitments to reshape stroke services in 2019 and whilst Clodagh says she is delighted with progress being made, she believes still more can be done.

She continued saying: “It is vitally important to the people of Northern Ireland that Thrombectomy is available 24/7. This will save lives and limit life altering disabilities. That is why I and other stroke survivors who have had the game changing surgery thrombectomy are backing the stroke association campaign ‘saving brains’. I would strongly urge everyone to sign the stroke association petition supporting the surgery being available for everyone 24/7.”

Clodagh also actively supports the 'Thriving After Stroke' campaign, calling for people to have the support they need to live well after a stroke

As she rebuilt her life after her stroke, Clodagh has worked tirelessly to campaign with Stroke Association NI, using her personal experience to call for better care, support and services for stroke survivors.

Speaking on her recent MBE news, Clodagh described it as 'bitter sweet'. 

“Ten years ago I knew little about stroke, but nine years ago I began a journey educating myself about stroke, a journey I would never have chosen. 

“It is an honour to receive the MBE for services to stroke but there is much work to be done reshaping stroke services. 

“The award reflects the hard work of everyone who plays their part in helping people affected by stroke and campaigns for better services for everyone affected by stroke.”

Having a stroke is life changing, not only for the survivor, but also for their family and friends. Clodagh explained: “When I was an inpatient in hospital for seven and a half months, I received wonderful care but on discharge from hospital statutory services stopped very abruptly.

“On discharge from hospital I used an electric wheelchair, I was not independent, I felt very alone. This has a huge impact on both physical recovery from stroke and your mental health. I was signposted to services with NI Chest Heart and Stroke and Stroke Association. These charities were vitally important in helping me learn I was not alone and I was not the only young adult living with stroke. There are 40,000 people in Northern Ireland living with stroke.

“I have rebuilt my life after stroke and am thriving, I love life. I can now walk and talk but stroke has left its mark. I want everyone who has a stroke not only to rebuild their life after the stroke but to thrive. Both NICHS and Stroke Association filled the void when services stopped which is why I now volunteer and fundraise for both charities. They were the light in the darkness after discharge from hospital.”

Clodagh believes there needs to be more long term support after discharge from hospital. She continued: “Survivors need to access rehabilitation services and support for mental health which will improve everyone’s outcomes.”

Nine years post-stroke, Clodagh continues to evolve and recover after a stroke. I am hugely optimistic that this will continue. She has found a wonderful private physiotherapist who is positive about achieving her goals.

“I want everyone to have, if they choose, access to services post discharge from hospital. This is the stroke associations vision that each person affected by stroke will have access to services and that no one will be forgotten about.

“Overcoming stroke is a huge battle. I am blessed that the thrombectomy team came in out of hours and saved my life but I then began the biggest battle of my life.

“For anyone who has a stroke I would say be patient with yourself, stroke recovery is slow. Everyday I work on my physical recovery, if you want to improve after a stroke you must keep working and building on small exercises. It’s okay to have a bad day, but each new day is an opportunity for recovery. There are days when I don’t feel like going to the gym but I am disciplined with myself, even when I don’t feel like it, I go and do a little. Little is more than nothing.

“I have learned to ask for help and accept help. Stroke has humbled me, when I was able to do nothing for myself, not even as little as wipe my own tears, I saw how kind people can be. Everyone has troubles in life but when you accept help you can overcome them with time.”