“I now try to view my disabilities as a positive, I try to ‘reframe’ the negative to a positive.” These are the truly inspiring words of Clodagh Dunlop, who at the age of 35, suffered a life changing brain stemmed stroke which resulted in Locked-in Syndrome (LIS) in 2015. The serving PSNI officer was the key note speaker at the South Eastern Trust’s recent ‘You Said – We Did’ Nursing event held at Ards Hospital.
The ‘You Said-We Did’ initiative is a bi-annual event bringing healthcare professionals together to share information on key priorities and fundamentals of care. The day is an opportunity to focus and reflect on important issues which have been identified by our frontline staff and supports staff in the delivery of safe and effective, quality care, as well as promoting continuous improvement in clinical practice
Clodagh recalled how when, “Out of the blue” her way of life changed following a brainstem stroke. She was placed on life support and faced a gruelling road to recovery. “I spent seven and a half months in the Royal Victoria Hospital and later the Regional Acquired Brain Injury Unit (RABIU) in Musgrave Park Hospital.”
“ The South Eastern Trust’s Senior Lead Nurse, Gillian McConvey reached out to me to come to the event to share my story and how I became an Ambassador for Chest, Heart and Stroke and The Stroke Association.”
Describing the Nurses who cared for her as, “angels”, Clodagh explained how she found being discharged home very difficult. “In hospital the Nurses are patient, as a long stay inpatient they get to know you, they knew my needs, my routines, how to dress me, to feed me. I was surprised but found I really missed everyone from the Nurses to the cleaners when I got back home. Chest, Heart and Stroke reached out to me and this helped me move forward in my recovery.”
Clodagh continued, “It was always very important for me to return to work and I have. I have disabilities but that does not mean I can’t contribute positively to society. I have found the public and society very supportive.”
South Eastern Trust Lead Nurse, Gillian McConvey praised Clodagh and thanked her for sharing her powerful story of hope and resilience. “We held a very inspiring ‘You Said We Did’ event with a range of speakers delivering essential learning, made unforgettable by Clodagh’s powerful story of stroke survival and Locked-In Syndrome. Clodagh is a true reminder of the strength of the human spirit and the vital role of compassionate person-centred care.”
