McKenzie's Active Life Before her Stroke
McKenzie 's life changing Stroke, April 2012
McKenzie’s Story
It’s no secret that many people believe that strokes only happen to elderly people. But the truth is that strokes can affect young people as well.
Auckland born McKenzie is one of those very few young people- a young stroke survivor. In April 2012, she suffered a severe stroke, paralyzing her right side at the tender age of 12 in April, 2012. She is now
re-learning how to walk, move her arm/ hand. Her hand and eye coordination, relearning her sensation s for her hand/ arm/ everywhere- the difference between hot/ cold, sand paper/ silk as well as carry out daily tasks that we all take for granted.
Being a typical kiwi kid, playing netball, swimming, climbing trees are no longer simple if yet possible without tremendous hard work, ambition, patience and support. Thanks to the constant support of her family and friends and with your help, we can show McKenzie that this is the start of a new chapter in her life with many challenges and rewards along the way. With your help, McKenzie can discover her determination, patience, courage and passion for life that she will proudly carry with her.
Young Stroke Survivors on TVNZ Breakfast
http://tvnz.co.nz/breakfast-news/support-network-young-stroke-victims-video-5448917
It’s no secret that many people believe that strokes only happen to elderly people. But the truth is that strokes can affect young people as well.
Auckland born McKenzie is one of those very few young people- a young stroke survivor. In April 2012, she suffered a severe stroke, paralyzing her right side at the tender age of 12 in April, 2012. She is now
re-learning how to walk, move her arm/ hand. Her hand and eye coordination, relearning her sensation s for her hand/ arm/ everywhere- the difference between hot/ cold, sand paper/ silk as well as carry out daily tasks that we all take for granted.
Being a typical kiwi kid, playing netball, swimming, climbing trees are no longer simple if yet possible without tremendous hard work, ambition, patience and support. Thanks to the constant support of her family and friends and with your help, we can show McKenzie that this is the start of a new chapter in her life with many challenges and rewards along the way. With your help, McKenzie can discover her determination, patience, courage and passion for life that she will proudly carry with her.
Young Stroke Survivors on TVNZ Breakfast
http://tvnz.co.nz/breakfast-news/support-network-young-stroke-victims-video-5448917
My Story
I completed High School, enjoyed my Gap Year in Surrey, UK and graduated with a Bachelor of Spatial Design in Auckland. I enjoyed my three year Overseas Experience while living and working in London with skydiving, canyoning, horse riding, white water rafting and kitesurfing while exploring forty countries along the way; France, Germany, Austria, Italy, Denmark, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Turkey, Egypt, China, USA to name a few! Taking part in Outward Bound in early 2012 was also a fun and rewarding challenge. I relocated to the picturesque town of Wanaka late 2011, which has given me the opportunity to ski, snowboard, mountain bike, surf, kayak and paddleboard- some more successful than others!
I completed High School, enjoyed my Gap Year in Surrey, UK and graduated with a Bachelor of Spatial Design in Auckland. I enjoyed my three year Overseas Experience while living and working in London with skydiving, canyoning, horse riding, white water rafting and kitesurfing while exploring forty countries along the way; France, Germany, Austria, Italy, Denmark, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Turkey, Egypt, China, USA to name a few! Taking part in Outward Bound in early 2012 was also a fun and rewarding challenge. I relocated to the picturesque town of Wanaka late 2011, which has given me the opportunity to ski, snowboard, mountain bike, surf, kayak and paddleboard- some more successful than others!
March 1996, moments after my life made a
sudden dramatic change
All is normal except for one thing- I myself had a stroke at the age of 13, in 1996. Just like McKenzie, it completely paralyzed my right side, while also losing my peripheral vision. I was in a wheelchair for 6 months while learning to walk again of which I wasn’t expected to be able to do according to the doctors! I missed a year of school while re-learning how to move my arm/ hand/ fingers/ leg, hand/ eye co-ordination. Re-training my brain to read different sensations, improve my memory and mundane everyday tasks- using a knife and fork, cutting paper and tying shoe laces to name a few. Adjusting to 70% less vision was a challenge in itself as well- walking into the side of doorways and objects was never much fun.
A stroke is never something that simply disappears; it involves continual effort, strengthening, commitment, patience, determination and overcoming many obstacles and challenges for the rest of your life. It marked a new journey in my life that helped shape and mould me into the person I am today. There was very little help, if any at all, for both my family and myself through such difficult times. Things haven't improved at all! I want to change this. Please help me help Mckenzie and other 'young-stroke-survivors' learn that there are no limits in what they can achieve and that there is still a happy and prosperous life that lays ahead of them-even after a stroke at such a young age!
A stroke is never something that simply disappears; it involves continual effort, strengthening, commitment, patience, determination and overcoming many obstacles and challenges for the rest of your life. It marked a new journey in my life that helped shape and mould me into the person I am today. There was very little help, if any at all, for both my family and myself through such difficult times. Things haven't improved at all! I want to change this. Please help me help Mckenzie and other 'young-stroke-survivors' learn that there are no limits in what they can achieve and that there is still a happy and prosperous life that lays ahead of them-even after a stroke at such a young age!