A DENTON woman has detailed how she had to ‘learn everything from scratch’ after suffering a stroke in her mid-20s.
But Summer Clarke is singing proudly about her progress – because she could do that before she could talk properly.
Now aged 26, the then 24-year-old was enjoying an afternoon out with friends, when she began having severe pains in her head.
Summer started being violently sick and appeared to be having a fit, so she was rushed to hospital.
On arriving, a scan revealed she had had a spontaneous brain haemorrhage. Such was the severity of her condition, she was not able to breathe on her own and was put on life support after being sent to a hospital in Salford.
After being given a 10 per cent chance of survival and being put in an induced coma, two weeks later, she started to move her little finger and was taken out of a coma and then eventually began breathing on her own.
Mum, Linda described it as a miracle and the doctors were amazed but Summer would stay in two hospitals for nine months and had to learn to walk and read again.
Now after finding she could sing before she could speak, Summer believes that her sheer determination have been major factors as to where she is now.
She said: “It was like being a baby again, I had to learn everything from scratch.”
Incredibly, Summer was able to sing her favourite songs, word for word, before she could speak properly or even recognise her own mum.
Linda said: “Summer suffered with so many cognitive problems but singing just came naturally to her.
“The doctors did a draining procedure but the pressure on her brain was immense. I was told that she might have 48 hours to live and we should maybe say our goodbyes.
“She was given a 10 per cent chance of survival – it was terrifying.
“But she could sing to music when she came out of the coma. She would start by miming songs and then she could sing anything on her playlist.
“Even when Summer was in the coma I was playing her favourite music. I really think it helped in her recovery and her dad, Keith, fiancée, Lewis and sister, Courtney were all by her side too!
“The therapist said they were amazed by her progress and resilience which was all down to Summer’s attitude.”
Summer adds: “Anything we played I remembered the lyrics to, even if I didn’t recognise my own mum, it was all very strange.
“While I still struggle with certain things like reading, I look back and think, ‘How have I done this?’
“My walking now is near perfect and back to what it was and my memory is sometimes good and bad, but I don’t let my stroke stop me doing things.
“My motto during my recovery has been, ‘If I can’t do it today, I’ll do it tomorrow,’ and that’s what I’ll keep living by.”
And Summer’s favourite song during her recovery? “It has to be Proud Mary!”
Summer shared her story as research by the Stroke Association found 35 per cent of stroke survivors are able to sing better than speak soon after their stroke.
As Stroke Awareness Month launches, it found 26 per cent of people could sing or hum before they could talk at all.
Its survey found that more than half said that singing, listening to music or playing an instrument had a positive impact on their recovery, with 40 per cent saying music had a massive impact.
Practically, almost two thirds said that music helped to improve their communication skills after their stroke, while more than half said music helped their memory.
This month, the Stroke Association is encouraging people to raise their voice to help survivors get the vital support they need after the devastating impact of a stroke. The charity has launched Sing4Stroke, a new fundraising initiative, where people can sing wherever they like – at home, on a live stream, at the office, at school or organise their own event, to raise vital funds to support stroke survivors and their families.
In Stroke Association-funded research on group-based singing intervention for improving the health of people with aphasia, researchers found that group singing can help people with communication difficulties after stroke by creating a safe space and strong bonds between people.
Professor Mark Tarrant, the researcher who led the study at the University of Exeter, said: “Singing-based rehabilitation may have positive effects on both social confidence and wellbeing, providing social and emotional support for people with aphasia and their loved ones.”
Juliet Bouverie OBE, chief executive of the Stroke Association, added: “There are now over 1.4 million stroke survivors in the UK and this number is growing.
“The impact of a stroke can be completely life-altering. We believe everyone deserves to live the best life they can after stroke but to do this, we need your support.
“Singing can be a powerful tool in stroke recovery for those who experience communication difficulties.
“Because music and singing are processed in a different part of the brain to spoken language, some people with communication problems find that they can sing easily, even though speaking is difficult.
“Now we need singers to show their support to stroke survivors and their families.
“If you’re part of a choir or singing group, you could dedicate a song to stroke survivors and donate some of the proceeds.
“Children at school could vote for a song to prepare and come together to sing at a special assembly for Stroke Awareness Month.
“You could even hold a ‘sponsored sing’ and sing 31 songs in a row – one for every day in May to highlight Stroke Awareness Month. By taking part in Sing4Stroke, you’ll help make a lasting difference to stroke survivors and their families.”
Sign up to Sing4Stroke at https://www.stroke.org.uk/singing