To help patients regain language after a stroke, Val Eaton Griffith, as part of a teaching team, developed exercises and games to stimulate the brain.
She famously aided Patricia Neal, the celebrated Academy award winning Hollywood actress and wife of author Roald Dahl make a recovery from a series of massive strokes. So successful and celebrated were her techniques that Val, using her real-life experiences with Patricia and others, was encouraged to produce this simple manual to aid friends and family of stroke patients everywhere. For her work, she was awarded the MBE in the Queen’s birthday honours list of 1977.

We discovered that this book – which has so much to offer every stroke patient – was out of print. We contected the author, and she agreed to let us bring the book into publication.

We are delighted by the response of local professionals when they discovered that we are reprinting this book.

A Mile of Smiles

24th September at Kingsmead Leisure Centre
(7:00 to 9:20am and after 2:30pm)

Two members of staff have volunteered to swim a mile and to gain sponsorship from friends and relatives. Members of East Kent Strokes group will also swim both alongside and in their own local pools in the days on either side this swimming event.

We Need Volunteers

If you or a friend can swim a few lengths, then please register. Your swim can be at your local pool where you are familiar with the facilities and staff, or at a public session at the Kingsmead Leisure Centre in Canterbury.

It can be the full mile, or half, or even just a length – whatever is within your capacity

It can be on the 24th September, or during the week before or after.

If you swim regularly, then register with Geraldine and get sponsored

It you don’t swim regularly, then register with Geraldine and get sponsored – then start swimming!

How to Register

Phone or email Geraldine Wyant: Tel. 01227 721 319; Email on geraldine@kola18.demon.co.uk

You will receive a small pack containing the Sainsbury’s Sponsorship form and a leaflet of simple guidelines

Sponsors

Please help a local charity, where all donations are used to improve the lifes of local stroke survivors.

Contact Geraldine who will be pleased to help.

For the second year running, attendees of the annual general meeting were entertained by a guest speaker who had laughter ringing out.
Dr Martin Stephen is High Master of St.Paul’s School in London. He is author of fifteen books on English literature and naval history as well as four novels featuring his seventeenth-century hero Henry Gresham.
Author of A Diary of a Stroke, he reprised his story, re-living many of the episodes that he, his wife and children experienced, including describing the exercise regimes one of which had him walking up and down the stripes on his lawn. An inspiring man who held our attention.
The business part of the meeting brought one surprise. John Manley, a founder member of the group Hon. treasurer and organiser of our Christmas dinner – among other things – announced that he must stand down. Currently going through a personal health crisis, John was deeply sad to surrender his duties, but indicated his wish to remain one of the trustees. All present gave him rousing applause and many wishes for his future good health.

Chairman’s Report, AGM 2009

Posted in Uncategorized ]]> http://eastkentstrokes.wordpress.com/2009/05/18/the-agm-2009/feed/ 0 drworsley http://eastkentstrokes.wordpress.com/2009/01/26/getting-back-to-driving/ http://eastkentstrokes.wordpress.com/2009/01/26/getting-back-to-driving/#comments Mon, 26 Jan 2009 10:20:56 +0000 David Worsley http://eastkentstrokes.wordpress.com/?p=237 ]]> Driving gives the stroke survivor so much: confidence, independence, self respect. Recently, several members have regained their licenses. Here’s how they did it and the aftermath.

Read the article here – 10-driving

There are two stories here: the speedy response to a medical emergency; and her astonishing recovery. That the emergency services managed the quick response is hardly a story at all – had they not then that might have been a story. Still, the men and women who made it happen deserve their applause.

The real story is thrombolysis and its adoption by East Kent Hospitals University NHS Trust. Why is this not available in every A&E department in Britain? It is surely a no-brainer. Look at what it will save: the occupied beds; the costs; the human suffering of victim, carer and family.

newsletter-141 This astonishing story is re-printed from Stroke Watch No.14 which is shown in full under Newsletter.

14-mayday-hd The high definition file, 3.9 MB

An amazing number of visitors from The Medway Strokes Club who visited us at The Fayreness

A lovely day was had by all, when the Medway Strokes Club joined us at The Fayreness, Kingsgate/Broadstairs for our gathering on Thursday 30th October, 2008.

Angela & Peter enjoying the Christmas lunch

Some of our members anticipating the first course

Another year has passed, East Kent Strokes Christmas lunch was enjoyed by all. The Abotts Barton Hotel was a lovely venue & they provided a lovely spread.

Follow the link to see the photos

The weather on this day was very changeable, alternating bright blue skies with almost torrential rain. So only a small number of us turned up. Which is a great shame, because the gardens are really worth visiting.

Here are a couple of photos that will give some impression of the place:

Look at the side panel for a list of past editions that have been loaded. They are in pdf format which almost every computer can read and display.

Read the newsletters here

It was a scramble to get ready, but what a trip. Why haven’t we gone there before?

The article is an expanded one from the Stroke Watch, with more pictures (in colour). Just the thing to pick you up after a terriblke winter

Read the article on the East Kent Strokes blog here.