World Stroke Day: Bedford woman’s fight back to health after devastating stroke at the age of 24

A young Bedford woman who says a stroke left her feeling suicidal is backing a campaign to raise awareness of the impact of having a stroke at a young age.

Monika Karaivanova, 25, had an ischaemic stroke at the age of 24 in January 2022. The stroke left her with paralysis down the left side of her body and severe difficulties with her mental health.

Over half (60%) of the UK population wrongly believe that strokes don't happen to young adults, according to new research revealed today by the Stroke Association. By sharing her story, Monika wants to help people understand that stroke can happen at any age – and can change your life in an instant.

Monika had finished studying for her Master's degree in User Experience Design at Kingston University in September 2021, and was working at her local pub.

She said: “I remember waking up one morning with an excruciating headache. I felt sick and as I tried to get out of bed, I realised I had no feeling in my body. At the time I had no idea what was happening, but assumed it was a temporary thing that would pass. It didn’t pass, and I started to get quite worried. I rang my mum who quickly made her way to my flat to help me.”

Monika spent one month recovering from her stroke in hospital, and a further three months at a Manton Heights physiotherapy centre.

“My mental health declined badly in the first year after the stroke – I even had suicidal thoughts. Physically my whole left side was paralysed, and emotionally I was unstable and prone to pessimism. I have lost time, lost my career growth, and made me lonely. It is so unfair, but I can't change it.”

According to the Stroke Association despite 54% of UK adults knowing someone who has had a stroke, there is still a common public misconception that the condition only affects older people, when in fact one in four strokes happen in people of working age. The charity has released the data ahead of World Stroke Day (Sunday 29 October), to warn that not only can stroke affect anyone at any age, but that young stroke survivors are missing out on significant milestones in their lives as a result.

There are over 100,000 strokes each year and 1.3 million stroke survivors living in the UK today, with these numbers only set to grow.

Alexis Kolodziej, Executive Director at the Stroke Association, said: “Our research highlights that people still think stroke is a condition that only affects older people. It’s crucial that we challenge this misconception and make people aware that stroke affects young adults too.

“Stroke simply shouldn’t be a key milestone in a young adult’s life. When planning for the future, no one prepares to have a stroke. Yet one in four strokes happen in people of working age and around 400 children have a stroke in the UK every year.”

Visit stroke.org.uk/worldstrokeday to find out more about support available. To find services available in the area, use the search tool or call the Stroke Helpline on 0303 3033 100.