In 2011, while filming the first season of Game of Thrones, Emilia Clarke suffered a life-threatening brain aneurysm. Just two years later, in 2013, she experienced a second.
At the time, she was stepping into global fame, but behind the scenes, she was facing an entirely different battle – undergoing multiple surgeries and navigating a long and uncertain recovery. Through that journey, Emilia came face to face with a reality many survivors experience: the lack of support once hospital treatment ends.
Determined to change that, she co-founded SameYou in 2019 alongside her mother, Jennifer Clarke.
SameYou is dedicated to improving recovery for survivors of brain injury and stroke, funding rehabilitation services, supporting research, and advocating for better long-term care. The charity highlights the often – overlooked emotional and psychological challenges that follow survival – when patients are expected to rebuild their lives without the support they truly need.
Today, Emilia uses her platform to campaign for change. Through SameYou, she works alongside medical professionals and communities to push for better recovery pathways, ensuring that rehabilitation is recognised as a vital part of healthcare – not an afterthought.
By sharing her story so openly, she’s helping to break stigma, spark conversation, and remind survivors that they are not alone.
What began as a deeply personal experience has grown into a global mission – turning survival into support, and recovery into hope.
Visit SameYou to find out more.Â