Lived experience of cardiovascular disease (CVD), Nigeria
Stroke: My Survival Story My journey with CVD / Stroke began 19 years ago—not with me, but with my eldest brother, who had a stroke in London. Sadly, he died after experiencing a second stroke. At that time, I did not understand much about stroke, but that loss still stayed with me. In 2012, I was just 33 years old when I had my own stroke. Back then, I used to drink heavily and smoke cigarettes. My stroke left me unable to speak (aphasia), move, or walk. Recovery was not immediate—it took me two and a half years to realize that healing is a long and costly process . Every single day, I take my medication, eat nutritious food—especially fruits and vegetables—and exercise just to stay alive. I've learned how expensive and emotionally draining it can be to rebuild your life from scratch . In 2016, my mother suffered a stroke. She had been living with diabetes and the stroke came as a devastating blow to our family.Today marks a special mom...