‘You realise you are not alone’: Hospital encourages stroke survivors to join support group

A hospital has set up a support group to help people who have experienced a stroke to get advice, share experiences and make new friendships with other stroke survivors.

Guy’s and St Thomas’ Community Stroke Team set up the Lambeth Stroke Peer Support Group in March, with sessions running every other week for 10 weeks. 

Participants get advice on how to prevent further strokes, the importance of family and friends and maintaining links with the community, exercise and diet, managing mood and fatigue, and the importance of fun and joy after a stroke. 

Steve Ridley, 52 from Streatham, had a stroke in July 2022, while working from home. After being taken to hospital, Mr Ridley was found to have extremely high blood pressure and a bleed on the left hand side of the brain. 

He received six months of hospital treatment followed by intensive rehabilitation, and support from the community therapists at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Pulross Centre. 

The stroke has affected his speech, and the right side of his body including arm, hand and leg. Steve now also walks with a stick.

Speaking about the support group, Mr Ridley said: “Before the stroke, I had always been a very talkative person, always the one who would stand up to speak.

“Sometimes I struggle to explain to people why I’m a bit slow in my speech or forget things. But with the group you realise you are not the only one out there. You are not on your own.”

Life after a stroke can bring many challenges including physical problems, financial difficulties and feelings of loneliness and isolation. The Lambeth Stroke Peer Support Group aims to bridge the gap after hospital treatment and rehabilitation support ends. 

Lolly Short, the Stroke Care Advisor at Guy’s and St Thomas’, who runs the group, said: “The group start to feel like they belong by meeting other people who are feeling exactly the same. 

“They feel understood and heard.”

To find out about the Lambeth Stroke Peer Support Group, email: gst-tr.lambethstrokecareadvisor@nhs.net or call 07824 600243.

Pictured top: Agnieszka and Steve Ridley (Picture: Guy’s and St Thomas’)