Almost three years ago, Summer Clarke was rushed to Tameside Hospital after a life-threatening stroke. Now, she has returned to the hospital as a volunteer, hoping to inspire other patients.
As a healthy 24-year-old, Summer lived a busy and active life, working as a flight attendant for British Airways. Everything changed in May 2023, when Summer was struck by severe head pains and became violently sick. She was taken to Tameside Hospital’s emergency department, where doctors discovered the cause: a spontaneous brain haemorrhage.
Summer went on to spend six months in the intensive care unit at Salford Royal Hospital, followed by a five-month stint in the Floyd Rehabilitation Unit in Rochdale. The pressure on Summer’s brain meant she had had to be put into an induced coma, and her family were warned that she may only have 48 hours to live.
Despite the odds, Summer survived. She awoke to find that she couldn’t speak, but was able to sing along to her favourite songs. Gradually, with a whole lot of determination, she regained her ability to walk and talk.
Now, Summer wants to give something back by helping others facing a similar road to recovery. On top of volunteering with the Stroke Association, she recently started a new voluntary role with Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust, where she can share her story with other stroke survivors.
When I was in hospital, in between therapy there was no one else there who completely understood what I was going through,” says Summer.
“I spent six months in hospital and another five in rehab, so I have really good insight into what it’s like.
“I wanted to volunteer on the stroke ward and help patients struggling with the same issues, like problems with cognition, movement or vision.”
Summer likes to show people video footage from the very start of her recovery journey, to demonstrate just how far she has come and show others that recovery is possible for them too.
“I had to learn everything again, and I still have some cognition problems, but I’m making progress every day,” Summer says.
