A BARRHEAD woman whose mum suffered a fatal stroke has been praised for raising cash and awareness to help others affected by the illness.

Amy Moffat’s life was turned upside down when her much-loved mum Heather had a stroke in 2015.

Heather survived but needed help from Amy to deal with the after effects, including mobility and sight problems, as well as the impact on her confidence.

Tragically, in March 2017, Heather suffered another stroke and, this time, did not survive. She was 61.

Barrhead News:

Since then, Amy has devoted much of her time to supporting the Stroke Association.

And she was rewarded for her impressive efforts through a nomination for the charity’s Life After Stroke Awards, which celebrate the achievements and contributions of stroke survivors, carers, volunteers and fundraisers.

Amy, 31, told the Barrhead News: “It was so lovely to attend the Life After Stroke Awards. One of the members of staff from the charity had nominated me.

“There was a room full of people who had experienced a stroke and it was wonderful to hear about what they are all doing to raise awareness.”

Amy admits it was difficult to cope after her mum suffered her first stroke in 2015.
She said: “It was unusual because my mum had never been ill. When she had her second stroke, the doctors didn’t really understand why, as she had been on medication.

“It was fatal, sadly. She was only 61 when she passed away.

“We were really lucky in that we got two years that we might not have had if she didn’t get the help the first time around.”

After experiencing the devastating impact a stroke had on her family, Amy realised how important it is to provide support for people living with the aftermath of such a life-changing event.

She decided to take part in the Glasgow Resolution Run to raise funds and awareness of stroke in memory of her mum, who was an English teacher at Renfrew High School for more than 30 years.

Amy said: “After my mum passed away, I wanted to do something to help. We had taken in a collection at her funeral and donated that to the Stroke Association.

“It seemed like a good idea to do something myself, so I said that, if I raised £500, I would do a 5k and, if I raised £1,000, I’d do the 10k.

“We raised a fantastic amount in the end. It was around £2,000, plus a couple of hundred pounds that my friend raised.

“The run was on Mother’s Day, which kept me moving. It was fantastic and I’m really happy to keep raising awareness.

“My knowledge was limited from what I knew about strokes and I think it is important for people to realise that it’s not just older people this can happen to. It can affect anyone.”

What is a stroke?

The Stroke Association describes a stoke as an attack on the brain, which happens when the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off, killing vital cells. 

Most strokes are caused by a blockage of the blood supply. This is known as an ischaemic stroke. However, strokes can also be caused by a bleeding in or around the brain, which is known as a haemorrhagic stroke.

For more information on how to spot symptoms of a stroke, visit www.stroke.org.uk.