02/12/2025
JoJo’s journey after her stroke is a reminder of how powerful water can be during recovery.
When she first returned to the pool, she cried with joy — not because the work was easy, but because she felt safe enough to try. Supported by her daughter, her sister-in-law, and the caring staff at a pool managed by Tees Active, JoJo stood in the water for the first time since her stroke. Then she took steps. Then she swam.
Eighteen months earlier, she’d been told she might never walk again. Now she’s swimming 150 meters with a sideways stroke the staff affectionately call “The JoJo,” and she’s moving with confidence she thought she’d lost.
Her goal is to swim in the sea at Saltburn one day — and she’s getting closer.
Her message for anyone recovering after a stroke: “There’s still a lot of life to live. Keep going.”
https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/25571862.swimming-helped-jojos-rehabilitation-stroke/
On World Stroke Day, a brave grandma tells PETER BARRON how swimming – and smiling – have been key to her rehabilitation