As a wildlife rescuer, Cathy Gilmore is used to nursing animals back to good health, but recently, the tables turned. The animal lover from The Entrance credits her furry and feathered friends with helping her recovery from a stroke.
In 2022, over a four-day period, Cathy experienced symptoms which she now knows were due to a sudden stroke. Unable to lift her left arm properly, she kept dropping her shopping bags during a grocery trip but thought nothing of it until things got worse at work.
"I couldn't type properly. I was a fast typist, but suddenly my hands weren't working like they should. I remember thinking 'What on earth is going on?' "
The answer was not far away. Cathy was taken to hospital where an MRI confirmed she had a stroke. She spent four days in the stroke ward.
"I started to notice little things; my balance was off, my eyesight wasn't the same, and worst of all, the ocean, my favourite place, suddenly scared me. I used to run into the waves without thinking. Now, I hesitate, afraid I will fall."
Cathy's passion for animals is helping her overcome her fear and fuels her recovery.
"Honestly, if I didn't have wildlife rescue and my animals, I truly don't know where I'd be. Caring for animals gives me purpose, structure, and the motivation to keep moving forward," Cathy said.
Three years later, Cathy is doing well and is back at work and rescuing animals.
"To anyone going through this - find your passion, hold onto it, and let it carry you through."
In Australia, one stroke occurs every 11 minutes, and Cathy is among the 440,481 Australians living with stroke in the community.
Stroke Foundation Chief Executive Officer, Dr Lisa Murphy, is encouraging all Australians to know the F.A.S.T. signs of stroke to act fast when one strikes.
"When a stroke strikes, it attacks up to 1.9 million brain cells per minute so it is critical to receive specialist treatment as soon as possible. The faster a stroke is identified; the sooner a person can get to hospital and have a better chance of survival and a good recovery. This all starts with recognising the signs."
If you suspect someone is having a stroke, think F.A.S.T. and ask these questions:
F stands for Face - Check their face. Has their mouth drooped?
A stands for arms - Can they lift both arms?
S stands for speech - Is their speech slurred? Do they understand you?
T stands for Time - Time is critical. If you see any of these signs, call triple 000 straight away.
