Roisin Quinn, an 18-year-old from Londonderry, had big dreams of singing professionally in the West End when she was growing up. But four years ago, her life took an unexpected turn when she suffered a stroke at just 14 years old and lost her ability to speak and move. Her mother, who heard her hum in the early morning hours, rushed her to Belfast’s Royal Victoria Hospital. There, Roisin was diagnosed with a stroke, which can strike children just as it does adults, with as many as 400 cases reported annually in the UK alone.
Symptoms of childhood stroke can vary widely, including sudden nausea, vertigo, dizziness, visual effects and severe headache. But for Roisin, the most traumatic part of her experience was a complete loss of control. She remembers being rushed to the ICU, overwhelmed by all the doctors crowding around her and struggling to move up in her bed. Worst of all, for someone who had always loved to sing, suddenly losing her voice was a crushing blow.
At first, Roisin’s prognosis was bleak. The young girl was bedbound, with no ability to move her left-hand side. She was also scheduled for open-heart surgery after a benign tumor was discovered in her heart. But somehow, the tumor disappeared, before Roisin began the long, arduous process of rehabilitation. At the time, she says looking back, she was grateful for having no memory of the early days of her stroke.
Rehab for Roisin meant spending every moment of every day in therapy, helping her rebuild her strength and mobility. But the most important support came from her loving family, who rallied around her in every possible way. They used humor and love to keep Roisin motivated, even as she faced the daunting challenge of repeating a school year and watching her friends move on without her.
Now, four years later, Roisin has regained her voice and found a new calling: performing arts. She’s studying at Derry’s North West Regional College and choreographing a dance that reflects her journey. Later this month, she’ll perform it at the campus where she’s already starred in productions of Romeo and Juliet and Macbeth. And though her dreams of performing in the West End were briefly dashed during her recovery, Roisin still hopes to pursue a career in musical theater.
“I never thought I would be sitting here doing this,” Roisin says. But if anything, her story is a testament to the power of strength, resilience, and the support of a loving family. Strokes can strike at any age, but with the right help and support, recovery is always possible.
