LISTEN - Magherafelt stroke survivor receives courage award

by Gráinne Connolly

38 year old Clodagh Dunlop from Magherafelt has been presented with a Life After Stroke Adult Courage Award by the Stroke Association after surviving a brain stem stroke. 

She was given her award by actors James Norton and Victoria Yeates (right) at a ceremony in the Dorchester hotel in London on the 1st of November. 

Clodagh was a serving police officer when she had a brain stem stroke that left her with locked-in syndrome in April 2015. 

It left her completely paralysed and was only able to communicate with her eyes; so she developed a system of blinking to try and convey messages to nurses and her loves one - one blink for yes, two for no. 

She told Q Radio that it was the most terrifying experience she has ever went through: 

On her birthday in May 2015 Clodagh's friend Karen was visiting her in hospital and Clodagh became so frustrated trying to communicate she let out a scream. 

It was the first time she had been able to make a sound, and it marked the beginning of Clodagh's recovery. 

Initially, Clodagh was told she would have to use a wheelchair, however after 6 months of rehabilitation in Musgrave Hospital in Belfast, Clodagh walked out of hospital. 

She also worked extremely hard with speech and language therapists to regain her ability to swallow and the use of her lungs, tongue and lips so she could speak again. 

Now that she has her voice back, Clodagh says she's extremely grateful for the ability to speak: 

Clodagh has been campaigning for better services for stroke survivors and has worked with the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists to launch the 'My Journey, My Voice' project to highlight the devastating impact of communication disability. 

To mark the anniversary of her stroke, Clodagh decided to go sky diving and completed a tendem jump from 10,000 feet; as well as this not even 18 months on, Clodagh returned to her job as a Police Officer in the PSNI and started to drive again. 

Juliet Bouverie, Chief Executive of the Stroke Association said:

"Locked-in syndrome is rare, but it's probably one of the most frightening experiences anyone can go through. 

"Clodagh's energy and determination helped her make a remarkable recovery, and now she uses those same qualities to support other stroke survivors. 

"Her courage, zest for life and sense of purpose are truly inspirational."