24/03/2026
I’m Felicity, I’m 35 and I’ve just had a stroke. On brain injury awareness month, I want to highlight the heroes in healthcare. Overnight I went from owning and running a care company to requiring care myself:
From a 999 call I was seen within 20 minutes and admitted to the stroke ward within 3 hours following tests from a team of specialists. With 2 cerebral arterial dissections on both my left and right side, clotting had resulted in a stroke. I opened my eyes to find myself surrounded by a team of badass women, all specialists in their field and even in my shock and delirium I couldn’t help but be wowed.
Today marks 12 weeks since my stroke and I have an incredible multi-disciplinary team around me and I’ll forever be grateful for them and the steps we have taken together. I will never forget how fortunate I am to have their support and guidance. It is a luxury.
People moan about the waiting times amongst other things but behind the headlines, these people are fighting fires and saving lives, not getting the thanks they deserve. What I saw was a phenomenal team, battling the elements, underfunded, overworked and understaffed. Like many industries, they’re employing individuals who aren’t invested just to have bodies in place. In turn, they are destroying their key players who truly care. The heroes who have given their heart and soul, burnt out and picking up the slack. If everyone fostered the same support and carer-centric approach as we do with our care team, this epidemic of losing good nurses and carers would end.
As I have learned in a life changing twist, I am not invincible and we are nothing without our health, so what will we do when there’s no one left to save us? It needs to change. Get people working again, support the NHS, bring back pride in nursing and care. The same pride I feel every time I say I work in care. Even through my initial slurred speech, I took every opportunity to say I’m a Visiting Angel because to me that is epic! The same pride I’ve always felt telling everyone that my wife is a nurse. Sadly, all I heard was feelings of being down trodden and fed up. They should feel proud, instead they’re the fall guys for a broken system. Who’s looking after them? The government and managing bodies need to value and reward our healthcare workers for the heroes they are. End. Of. Story.
We are fortunate to have the outstanding team that we do and we are consistently hiring nurses who have left for the same reason, that they feel they can’t truly help people in the NHS and they can’t cope anymore.. this is devastating.
Leaving the ward on New Year’s Eve, I didn’t know what my life would look like. With months of recovery and rehab ahead, I have the love and support of my own team of Angels who have looked after myself, Courtney and even our dog Rosie when needed. Most importantly they look after each other, our culture embodied. They’ve rallied behind us throughout and I will never be able to truly grasp the love I have for this incredibly special group of people we’ve found along the way. Together, we all share our triumphs, our hurdles, the highs and the lows of life and we embrace it all together. Grateful, more than ever to have built this outstanding team, positively impacting care.. but also our lives. While I’ve been cut off from the world, I haven’t gone a day without a thoughtful message of support. Their words have gotten me through the toughest times. Every week I’ve continued to get deliveries and beautiful cards reminding me our care family are outside this bubble and I can’t wait to see them all again! On top of that we have our incredible clients who have kept asking for updates, sent their love and offered to lend me their mobility equipment! Care is truly such a special world to be a part of.
Despite being out of action for some time, I am more motivated and driven than ever. Our purpose is refreshed in my mind and I can’t wait to come back with a vengeance! It may be months away but I have big plans. My personal milestones have to be reached first and each one I’ll be so proud of. On the surface I may look weaker, I may move slower but I’m coming back stronger, appreciative of every little triumph with a greater, deeper understanding of supporting our clients.
Thank you for reading and thank you to all healthcare workers, especially my Angels who I’m lucky enough to call my friends.
Felicity
Young Stroke Survivor / Managing Director
Visiting Angels Edinburgh & The Lothians
Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland
Different Strokes – Support for Working Age Stroke Survivors UK
NHS
