A QUEANBEYAN woman whose life was turned upside down after a series of strokes wants to help others on their road to recovery.

Elaine Coffey, 80, said she suffered a stroke in 2018 but didn’t realise she was having one.

“I was on-air presenting my community radio program on QBN FM 96.7 when a listener called in to ask if I was okay, apparently I was waffling on a bit,” Ms Coffey said.

“I felt alright, but I saw my doctor and after an MRI I was diagnosed with having a left-side cerebellar stroke – a bleed at the base of my brain.

“I had absolutely no idea that I had had a stroke, it was a terrible shock.”

The retired dress shop owner suffered a second stroke two years later, and said her balance and fine motor skills were severely affected.

“Yet again, I didn’t realise I was having a stroke, I thought I had just pinched a nerve in my back,” Ms Coffey said.

“But my left foot started to feel like it was a plank of lead, so I went to the doctor and after another MRI they told me I had had a right-side cerebellar stroke – so I have had strokes in both sides.” 

According to the Stroke Foundation, a stroke happens when blood cannot reach the brain because of a blocked or burst artery. More than 27,000 Australians experienced a stroke for the first time in 2020, which equates to one stroke every 19 minutes. According to the charity’s statistics, more than 445,000 Australians are living with the effects of stroke. 

Life post-stroke has been difficult, Ms Coffey said.

“Everything suddenly changed. The loss of independence and the isolation has been huge, and the depression has also been shocking. I think most stroke victims will relate to that,” she said.

Ms Coffey, a grandmother, said she is still working hard to rebuild her life.

“It has affected many areas of my life, like my balance and writing,” Ms Coffey said.

“I have memory glitches and incontinence and I’m tired. It’s never ending and rehabilitation and recovery is an ongoing thing.”

When recovering from her stroke, Ms Coffey found there was little literature for survivors and no local support group.

Determined to ensure other stroke survivors did not feel isolated or alone in their recovery and were able to navigate the health system effectively, she started the Monaro Stroke Support Group with the help of a friend Marjory Kobold.

“There was little help out there, this is the nation’s capital and we didn’t even have a stroke-support group, so that spurred me on to start my own group in 2020,” Ms Coffey said.

“We started with two members and we are up to about 20 members now.”

The group was meeting monthly and hearing from a range of guest speakers including neurologists, physiotherapists and psychologists.

“Then covid struck and all that stopped,” Ms Coffey said.

But the group, which prides itself on giving support, information, and friendship to other stroke sufferers, will re-commence its regular in-person meetings in February, Ms Coffey said.

“We are really excited to be meeting face-to-face again,” Ms Coffey said.

“The support group is invaluable. We had one woman who had a massive stroke and was crippled down one side. She started coming to the meetings, but was shy and didn’t want to talk about what had happened to her. 

“After a few meetings we got to know her, she started opening up, and slowly she became a different person. To see the change in this young woman was the greatest thing ever.

“If I can help just one person on their road to recovery it will make me very happy.”

The Monaro Stroke Support Group meets on the fourth Tuesday of each month at the Queanbeyan Kangaroos Club. The next meeting is February 22 at 10.30am, anyone is welcome to attend.