A stroke survivor wants people in Ceredigion to consider supporting the charity that helped him, as he prepares to celebrate his first Christmas since a stroke left him unable to work.

Clive Dicks, 66, from Pontrhydfendigaid, had a stroke in February, which left him unable to speak or move his right side.

He said: “Spending Christmas with my family will be so important to me; I feel glad to be alive.

“Looking back to the day of my stroke, I thought there was nothing wrong with me. Luckily my grandson could see there was.

“He got in touch with a stroke nurse who lives in my village and she told me to go to hospital and let them know I was coming. On the journey to hospital I lost all ability to speak and by the time I arrived I couldn’t say anything at all.

“I was in hospital for five weeks and it took even longer to work on regaining my speech.”

There are around 7,400 strokes in Wales each year. Stroke continues to be a leading cause of disability and over 80 per cent of stroke survivors require help with daily living such as walking, washing, eating and communicating.

After returning home, Clive was referred to a local Stroke Association co-ordinator who offered him vital support, including helping him to gain financial assistance for the disabilities caused by his stroke.

Clive said: “My job as a builder was physical and I was used to being fit, so it was such a shock not to be able to use my right side, especially to write. But it’s slowly getting better.

“One way I’m making sure of that is by sweeping the floor every day to strengthen my right arm, and I’ve learned to use predictive text on my phone with my left hand.

“I have a friend who had a stroke two years ago, and he can play his guitar again now. So by next Christmas, my goal is to be back playing my guitar too!”

To find out more about what the Stroke Association offers, and to make a donation to its Christmas Appeal, visit stroke.org.uk/iammore.

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