Eight years ago, Marilyn Kenny was getting out of her car when she suddenly noticed weakness in one leg and trouble walking. Then came the slurred speech. Every ten minutes across Canada, another person suffers a stroke. And while symptoms can come on suddenly, Marilyn says recovery can be a lifelong effort.
Fortunately, Sunnybrook is helping stroke survivors with an amazing program called Peers Fostering Hope. It connects former stroke patients, like Marilyn, with new stroke patients and their families to help answer questions, and show them that there is life after stroke. Marilyn is a living testament to that, and has started her own blog to help others along their journey. Even as a former nurse Marilyn says she had trouble finding answers to all the questions she had as a patient. That left her really wanting to help the average person from feeling lost.
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| Marilyn Kenny is a founding member of the Peers Fostering Hope program at Sunnybrook. |
Sunnybrook was one of the first sites in Ontario to implement the Peers Fostering Hope program, but other centres have it. If you are interested in becoming a specially trained volunteer, you can contact The March of Dimes or the West GTA Stroke Network. They are currently seeking former stroke patients, family members as well as younger and older stroke survivors to become part of this touching program.
Did You Know June is Stroke Month? Because this is stroke month, what better time to make sure you know the symptoms of stroke? The Heart & Stroke Foundation indicates a stroke can impact any number of areas, including your ability to move, see remember, speak, reason and read and write. Check out their website for other amazing information and resources on stroke. The key is getting medical attention as quickly as possible. Time is brain, as the saying goes. So take the time to learn the warning signs!
