![\"Gail](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/0_Gail-2.jpg\")
<\/p>\nShe suffered a severe life-threatening and life-changing stroke 18 months ago.<\/p>\n
Gail Agar had a severe life-threatening and life-changing stroke 18 months ago<\/p>\n
A Northern Ireland woman has opened up about how she wasn’t expected to survive after a stroke but now she’s helping other survivors recover from theirs.<\/p>\n
Every Tuesday Gail Agar gives up her time to help others, volunteering at health charity Northern Ireland Chest Heart & Stroke\u2019s (NICHS) local Post Rehab Exercise Programme group.<\/p>\n
Gail, 65 and from Comber<\/a>, Co Down<\/a> knows all too well how much the charity can help people post stroke as she needed their support after having a severe life-threatening and life-changing stroke 18 months ago.<\/p>\n Speaking ahead of Volunteers\u2019 Week (June 1-7) Gail shared how her story has led her on a path of helping others.<\/p>\n Gail recalled: \u201cI had my stroke in November 2024. I had no symptoms, no warning signs and when the stroke hit, every part of my body was affected. I was at home and I just collapsed out of nowhere. My husband found me lying on my back with blood coming out of my head.<\/p>\n \u201cHe phoned 999 and within eight minutes a paramedic in a Rapid Response Vehicle arrived. Two minutes later the ambulance arrived with three paramedics. The Air Ambulance<\/a> had also been called by the Rapid Response Paramedic, and it arrived a few minutes later.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Air Ambulance doctor advised my husband that he thought I had suffered a brain related incident. I was placed into an induced coma and airlifted to the Royal Victoria Hospital<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n At the hospital it was discovered Gail had a ruptured brain aneurysm<\/a>. She was transferred to Critical Care where she was ventilated, had a feeding tube and catheter put in, and needed nursing care 24\/7.<\/p>\n She explained: \u201cThe next morning I had surgery to put a stent and coiling in to stop the bleed on my brain. The day after that the sedation started to be withdrawn and a few days later, I was transferred to Neurology. I can’t remember any of that time.<\/p>\n \u201cBy the beginning of December the nurses started to feed me with thickened water on a spoon, but I couldn’t talk because my vocal cords had been damaged by the ventilator. I was trying desperately to talk but no words would come out.\u201d<\/p>\n A few weeks later, Gail was transferred to the Ulster Hospital<\/a> where she began her rehab journey: \u201cI started physio as my left hand was completely paralysed and was in a fist. I also had to start to relearn how to walk. I started by standing for a while, then I moved on to shuffling and pulling myself along on a walking frame.<\/p>\n \u201cWinning the lottery wouldn\u2019t give you the same feeling I got when I started to be able to move again. It was unbelievable that I had actually done it as it took such enormous effort, and I had been told there was a possibility I might not walk again.\u201d<\/p>\n At the start of January 2025 Gail was transferred to the Regional Acquired Brain Injury Unit (RABIU) at Musgrave Park Hospital in Belfast to continue with intensive rehabilitation: \u201cIt was daunting as by that stage I was more aware of everything, but I didn\u2019t know what I was going to and I really just wanted to go home.<\/p>\n \u201cFrom the moment I arrived at RABIU I was tested and assessed to see what the damage to my brain had been. I asked the doctor when I would get home and was told hopefully within five weeks. I was glad to hear that because then I had something to work towards. Up until then I was thinking, \u2018will I ever got home. What is the end result here?\u2019<\/p>\n \u201cIt was very intense, hard work every day but the staff at RABIU saved my life<\/a>, there’s no doubt. They knew how far to push me and when to slow down but it was tough. I had to learn everything again, even things like going to the toilet after the catheter was removed as that had all been wiped from my brain. I had to have pureed food, nothing I could choke on.<\/p>\n \u201cAfter about two or three nights I said to myself, \u2018it’s only you who can do this, nobody else can\u2019. I had to make the effort, and I had to do what they were telling me because they knew what they were talking about. But it was hard.\u201d<\/p>\n Gail wasn’t expected to survive after a stroke but now she’s helping other survivors recover from theirs<\/p>\n It was at RABIU that Gail realised how severe her stroke had been as she explained: \u201cA student doctor from Queen\u2019s University chose my case for his PhD topic.<\/p>\n \u201cI asked him one day why he had picked me and he said \u2018because there are very few people who have gone through what you have that we can talk to or watch and assess their recovery journey. It helps us with research and to better understand the brain\u2019. It hit me then that I was lucky to be alive and to be working on my recovery.\u201d<\/p>\n Gail worked hard and on February 5 2025, after months in hospital, she walked out of RABIU with no stick, walking frame or wheelchair.<\/p>\n \u201cI had come a long way from nearly not making it in the Air Ambulance. I couldn’t wait to get home but that is also when you realise how ill you have been and that the recovery journey isn\u2019t over yet. In my mind, once I got home, I was going to be ok but there was still a long way to go,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n \u201cYou realise when you come home how scary it is because you are starting to live a completely different life. Your confidence has gone, people don\u2019t really understand what it\u2019s like, you always have to be aware of your surroundings in case there are trip hazards, you are always on the alert.<\/p>\n \u201cYou have to relearn to do things that you never gave a second thought, like going to the supermarket. The first time I tried to go to Tesco I just stayed in the doorway. It was too busy, there was trolleys coming at me, it was too much. But you have to go away, take a deep breath, set a date and go back and do these sorts of things because if you don\u2019t, you never will.<\/p>\n \u201cOver the first few weeks I had to set goals each week, like make a hair appointment, get my nails done, go to the dentist. Setting a goal helped me start to build my confidence up again and I started to feel like I was belonging to normal life again.\u201d<\/p>\n Gail\u2019s physical recovery continued after she was discharged from RABIU and that\u2019s how she came into contact with NICHS: \u201cThe Community Stroke Team did therapy at home with me for ten weeks, sometimes twice a day. They told me about NICHS and their services and support, but I wasn\u2019t sure about going to anything at that point because I had got to a stage where I just wanted to live a \u2018normal\u2019 life.<\/p>\n \u201cIt had all been so intense for months with so many people treating me, appointments at Musgrave and so on. The more I thought about it however the more I thought, \u2018no. I swore to myself that whatever help was offered I would take it\u2019. I didn\u2019t want to look back in 10 years\u2019 time and think I might have been in a better place if I\u2019d done everything that was offered to me.\u201d<\/p>\n Gail started going to the charity\u2019s Post Rehab Exercise Programme (PREP), a 6-week physiotherapy led, community-based course which helps rebuild people’s lives after stroke through exercise and education. It is designed for stroke survivors who have completed the statutory rehabilitation provided by the NHS<\/a> to meet their longer-term care needs.<\/p>\n She said: \u201cI really enjoyed PREP as soon as I started going because everybody was in a similar situation to me. Everybody was friendly and got along. The group was glad if you achieved something and were doing well. There is real camaraderie at PREP.<\/p>\n \u201cWe were also able to share hints and tips with each other about living with a stroke and find new ways to do things like getting dressed more easily. You are part of a group that understand what you were feeling whereas family and friends, as great as they are, can\u2019t. That really helped me with the mental impact of my stroke.<\/p>\n \u201cI completed two rounds of PREP. I liked that all the exercises were counted and monitored, and you could see your progress. That helped keep me motivated with my recovery as I could see my efforts were being rewarded and I was moving forward. I also found the NICHS staff very approachable and helpful and they made the time to listen.\u201d<\/p>\n Gail added: \u201cI was sad at the thought of my time at PREP ending after 12 weeks, so I asked the group\u2019s Care Services Coordinator, Kyle, about coming back to help and volunteer. I thought I might be able to help others due to my experiences. I found PREP so beneficial I wanted to help others experience that too, to show people there is hope for a recovery, things can get better, and not to give up.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s why I\u2019m also happy to share my story. If it helps show people you can get through having a stroke, if it gives some small flicker of hope, I feel going through this and telling my story will have been worth it.<\/p>\n \u201cIn the early days, when I was being told it wasn\u2019t clear if I would walk or talk again, when I had a catheter in and so on, I did think, \u2018what is the point of this?\u2019 Why have I survived this, when it looked like I might not, because there is no hope here.\u2019<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t know enough about stroke and if I had seen a story like mine out there then I would have known things could get better.\u201d<\/p>\n Gail shared how her story has led her on a path of helping others<\/p>\n Talking about what she gets out of volunteering Gail says: \u201cPREP is the focus of my week. Tuesday is PREP day and everything else just has to work around that. I really enjoy it and I like seeing all the clients and other volunteers.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen people first come to PREP, they might be scared, feel lost and that they don’t know what is ahead of them. I understand what that\u2019s like and I\u2019m glad if I can help. It also reminds me how lucky I have been with my recovery; things could be a lot worse.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is unbelievable to see how far people come in the six weeks at PREP, the hard work they put in and the effort, it is really noticeable. You can see the clients are really working hard, making improvements, and how they are happier because of that. It\u2019s great to be a part of that. I would really encourage people to think about volunteering if they are able. You will get so much out of it.\u201d<\/p>\n Gail concluded: \u201cIn a strange way I’m glad that my stroke happened. I’ve learnt an awful lot about myself. I think things sometimes happen for a reason and I’ve learnt I\u2019m stronger than I thought I was. I appreciate things now that I didn’t before. I wouldn’t have met all the people at PREP that I have.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are positives that have come from this, and I hold on to the fact things could be a lot worse. I was dealt a bad hand, but I\u2019ve played it the best way I could, I’ve come through it and I\u2019m thankful for that.\u201d<\/p>\n If you have been inspired by Gail\u2019s story you can view NICHS\u2019s current volunteer opportunities at www.nichs.org.uk\/volunteering<\/a>.<\/p>\n Want to see more of the stories you love from Belfast Live? Making us your preferred source on Google<\/a> means you\u2019ll get more of our exclusives, top stories and must-read content straight away. To add Belfast Live as a preferred source, simply click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"She suffered a severe life-threatening and life-changing stroke 18 months ago. 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