Margate couple Jan and Alan Stewart will be taking on a wheelchair push challenge – complete with glittery wigs – next weekend to raise funds for Westbrook House stroke unit.
The aim is to raise funds and awareness as a thank you for the brilliant care Alan received to help him recover from two major strokes.
On June 2 Alan was in his garden when he suffered two major strokes in quick succession. The 68-year-old had to be taken to the Royal London Hospital, which is a lead hyper-acute stroke centre.
Jan, 66, said: “He went to Canterbury and was moved to Kingston ward but had a massive bleed on the left hand side. He couldn’t get out of bed without a hoist and his left hand side was non-existent really.”
The former B&Q company manager stayed in hospital for two weeks before being transferred to the Westbrook House Stroke Rehabilitation Unit in Margate.
Jan said: “In Westbrook House his recovery was outstanding. The nurses and OTs (occupational therapy) are there 24/7. There was recreational therapy that everyone joined in with, I would sit with Al and the others and we would all do it.
“We were all involved and met lots of lovely people and made friends that we are still in contact with.
“Al’s recovery went from strength to strength and they were also so wonderful to me, bringing me a cup of tea or giving me a hug if I was bawling my eyes out.
“It was like a home from home, everyone had their own ensuite rooms and all the staff, including the cleaning ladies, would know your name and say hello. We cannot thank them enough for all the wonderful things they did for him and for me.”
Within five weeks Alan’s condition had improved so much, he was able to go home. He had gone from being unable to communicate or walk, to using a tripod to get around and feeling really hopeful about his future.
Crediting the ‘incredible work’ of the rehabilitation teams, Alan wants to ‘give back’ to the staff who he calls ‘his angels’.
He said: “When I had my strokes, I had no idea what was going to happen and I was so frightened and scared.
“Coming to Westbrook was like being in a warm and friendly hotel, the people there just can’t do enough for you. The activities like the physio and cognitive exercises really helped my recovery. I felt such a bond with everyone there and it wasn’t like being in hospital.”
Alan and Jan, who are parents of six and grandparents of nine, pop in to the unit once a fortnight to chat to patients, and offer hope. They’ve also donated a garden table and chairs, as well as a job-lot of donuts for their one-year anniversary event.
And now Alan, accompanied by Jan and family members, will complete the wheelchair push in aid of the unit on September 28, leaving from Westbrook House at noon and travelling to the Mechanical Elephant on the seafront – with maybe a pub stop or two along the way.
Jan said: “We will do the wheelchair push from Westbrook House to the Hussar and then the pubs down to the clock tower, we’ll go along the seafront and then back to Westbrook House.
“We have put posters up in the unit and our youngest grandson (aged 10) is going to wear a sandwich board and walk in front of us! We have got special, tinsel wigs so we can be noticed. We just want to do something lovely and raise funds and awareness for Westbrook House so people can realise the stroke unit is there.”
Alan added: “We will have collecting buckets and encouraging donations on our Just Giving page. You won’t be able to miss us – we will be wearing funny outfits and sparkly wigs!”
Alan and Jan would love people to cheer them on and also help raise vital funds by donating to: Westbrook House Just Giving Page.
Read more about Westbrook House:
Leave a Reply