Steve George

My name is Stephen George and up until the age of 17 I was a healthy teenager. Mad about sport, never sitting still, always busy at football, table tennis, snooker, cricket, pool, all at club level. I was also at college studying electronics, in fact I had just taken an exam when on Sunday 16th of June I awoke with a headache and took a couple of aspirin. I was due to play pool for Essex that afternoon so I decided a nap would probably perk me up. My memory gets a bit hazy after this and I am told that I fell off the settee and was obviously in trouble as my face was twisted on the right side and I was unable to answer the questions my parents were asking me. I could hear all right but could not reply, neither could I move my right arm or leg and I was feeling pretty scared.

I was taken to hospital but had to wait 48 hours for a CT scan (always supposing I survived that one). I had suffered a bleed in the brain - a STROKE.

I had to learn to speak again, walk again and learn how to manage with a right hand that forgot it was there and refused to move anyway. My memory wasn't up to much either. Good news though! I had passed my exam. That was a small consolation since I felt that I had no chance of becoming an electronic engineer now. I decided I had two choices, let it beat me or me beat it.

I did get to work for an electronics form in London and then became a field service engineer and later a computer engineer. Great! However, at 21 more headaches occurred until eventually I was diagnosed with a brain tumour. O joy! here we go again, I was rushed to hospital where I received immediate attention and was operated on twice and was given radiotherapy which took away my hair - not temporarily but permanently. I felt so low, useless and un-attractive. My friends had all got on with their lives and I felt so alone but I was not beaten, after two years I was back at work, continuing to work in my chosen profession.

Wait for it! here we go again at 28 I had re-occurrence of the tumour. Fortunately I was passed to St. Bartholomew's where they had a new treatment, which was hideous and felt like a barbaric torture, but I am still here and very grateful to them.

Different Strokes was a godsend because I had felt so isolated and had no idea there were other young people with similar problems and experiences. I attended one of the groups after being told about it by a friend and have been a member for 18 months, making new friends and finding new interests. It has taken 13 years to find people who have experienced the same traumas as me.

I was so impressed with Different Strokes that I decided to set up a group in the East London area of Redbridge. We meet at Redbridge Sports Centre every Sunday between 12:00 and 2:00pm. We have 20 members already and are trying in as many ways as possible to make our presence known to all and sundry. Amongst those showing interest and support for what we are doing are our local MP Linda Perham and Councillor John Coombes, who is also trying to find some funding for us. A very welcome side effect of my involvement with Different Strokes is that I have gained more self confidence and the ability to speak in public, which would have been impossible for me to contemplate until recently. May Different Strokes go from strength to strength!!

Thanks to Steve for sending in his profile. Anyone else who would like to share their story can send it along with a photograph (if you're not shy!)

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