Dora was a bright, cheery and capable lady leading a busy life as a care worker until fate turned the tables on her – Dora had a stroke.
It paralysed her right side and left her with problems speaking. Being more accustomed to giving care than needing it; the effect on Dora was physically and emotionally devastating.
Dora worked hard to regain her speech and mobility and learned again how to dress, bathe and cook for herself and her husband but progress was slow and difficult. People would not understand what she was trying to say or assume she had a mental illness; sometimes shop assistants would refuse to serve her, so Dora stopped talking when she was out.
Attending Thrive’s "Life after Stroke" group really helped. For three months Dora came to Thrive’s Herb Garden in Battersea Park. Once silent, she soon earned a reputation as being one of the most talkative and cheerful members of the group.
"Thrive made me so happy – I felt better about talking to people and after a day working in the herb garden I slept so well I didn’t need my sleep medication. Our therapist Louise is wonderful – she taught me so much about plants – their healing properties as well as how to grow and look after them"
Today Dora is an active member of a gardening group that began at Thrive, she and her new found friends meet regularly. Dora recently took part in a photoshoot and makeover with a women’s magazine, "They treated me a like a queen," she says, "but it’s not something I would have had the confidence to do without Thrive."