Our guest speaker on Tuesday was Maria Fredatovich, founder of the Young Stroke Thrivers Foundation. Maria is from old established West Auckland Family. Until the age of 13 she was a normal New Zealand kid in all respects dance, sports, growing up in a supportive family environment. Then in 1986 when she was a 13 year old it all came to a jarring halt. She had a stroke. This left her completely paralysed down the right hand side with an eye doesn’t work, an arm that doesn’t work, you name it on her right hand side probably doesn’t. The odds of the stroke at the age of 13 are minimal. Very few children have them. The result of her stroke was paradoxicaly that while Maria was never alone with carers, Doctors Physios and medical support she was actually alone in that there was no other children of her age in the same boat. Maria spent a bit of time in Starship where she did have fun and she put into her place a main goal which is working to walk again. |