Teenage stroke survivor speaks about her recovery two years on

By Cora Power (Twitter: @CoraPower)

Limerick teenager, Shannonree Maher suffered from a stroke when she was just 17 years old.

This stroke has left her with a brain injury that she will suffer with for the rest of her life.

Two years ago, during her transition year work placement, she woke up with a heaviness in her left arm. As the day went on she began to lose her balance and the ability to write.

The young woman was taken to hospital where she was eventually diagnosed. Doctors could not understand how a girl of her age could suffer from a stroke, without any medical explanation.

“I would love a reason”, says Shannonree regarding the mystery of why she suffered from a stroke.

She says that it would be easier to move on from the incident if she knew what happened to her a why it happened.

Having left school, Shannonree is now attending Headway Ireland in Limerick city. She is working on a set of exams which are an equivalent to the leaving cert, in the hopes of continuing onto college to study Psychology.

She is also learning how to drive, something her family never thought would happen.

This article and video is a submission to the annual University of Limerick / Landmark Media video competition