Everything in my life was going along just great, I had a very successful career and a wonderful family. On December 19, 2010 I suffered a sub-arachnoid hemorrhage more commonly known as a brain aneurysm! I was very lucky and beat the incredible odds against surviving. Although I suffered no significant physical impairments I did sustain cognitive deficits. I went for therapy for 18 months and was unable to return to my former career because of the cognitive deficits.

They say in every loss there is an opportunity, so I decided to do some of the things I had always wanted to do. I took up painting with acrylics, I started to practice yoga and I wrote a cook book of our ‘Family Favourite Foods’ to give to my grown children. The other thing I wanted to do was give back to the community in some way. In talking to a friend he suggested that I volunteer for the North Shore Stroke Recovery Centre and so I did and have been doing so for four and a half years. The experience has been wonderful! I have met incredible people. People who work at the Centre, people who volunteer for and at the Centre and the amazing stroke survivors. I have found it very rewarding to have the opportunity to, in a small way, help stroke survivors with their personal struggle to recovery.

In the past year I have also been privileged to serve on the Board of Directors for the NSSRC. This is a great group of people who dedicate their time to oversee and plan the future of the Centre so that it can continue to serve stroke survivors for years to come. The North Shore Stroke Recovery Centre has a long and wonderful legacy that I am proud to be associated with.

Thank you for letting me serve.