A 22-YEAR-old rugby player has relieved the horror of suffering a stroke to highlight the importance of reacting rapidly to symptoms of the life-threatening medical condition.

Barnard Castle player Michael Waldin, of Darlington, said after playing rugby last February he experienced weakness in his left side, slurred speech and blurred vision at home.

Having grown up in a family of doctors, he recognised the signs of a stroke and sister, Caroline, immediately called an ambulance.

“It was a very scary time for both of us," he said. "As I waited for help to arrive I remember trying again and again to move my left arm. I struggle to explain just how helpless I felt.”

He was taken to the stroke ward at the University Hospital of North Durham and had CT and MRI scans, which confirmed that he had suffered a stroke.

“Before I had a stroke, I just didn't think it happened to people my age. However, growing up in a family of doctors, I was very fortunate to recognise the FAST symptoms, diagnose myself quickly and call for an ambulance. I want to help more people be aware of how important time is in terms of receiving medical care.”

Mr Waldin, who now works for a sports betting company, made his rugby comeback in September - seven months after suffering from a stroke.

“It was great to play again – I think being told you can’t do something makes you want to do it more. Rugby was the only thing left that I had been stopped from doing by my stroke, so I guess it was the final step in getting back to normal.”

Public Health England (PHE), which is launching a campaign to highlight stroke symptoms, said Mr Waldin's story shows how disability can be greatly reduced if people react quickly to signs such as changes to their face, arms or speech.

In the North-East, more than 59,000 people on GP registers have had a stroke and in 2015 there were 1,794 deaths in the region caused by stroke.

Research for PHE shows that 24 per cent of people would wait to call an ambulance because they wrongly believe that they need to see two or more symptoms of stroke before making the call. Other barriers to dialling 999 include feeling that they need permission to act on behalf of others.

As part of the campaign, films being released will encourage everyone in the North-East not to hesitate and to make the call immediately when they see any one of the key stroke symptoms:

Dr Anand Dixit, consultant stroke physician for Newcastle Hospitals NHS Trust said: “Stroke is a serious medical emergency. It is one of the leading causes of death and disability in the UK and can affect people of all ages.

“Stroke is very treatable, but every single minute counts. Making the call to 999 immediately – when you see any single one of the signs – can make a marked difference to someone’s recovery and rehabilitation.”

The FAST test

Face: Facial weakness. Look at the person’s face and ask them to smile. Has their face fallen on one side?

Arms: Arm weakness. Ask the person to raise both of their arms and keep them there. Are they unable to raise one arm?

Speech: Slurred speech. Ask the person to tell you their name, or say ‘hello’. Is their speech slurred?

Time: If you spot any of the above signs, always call 999.

  • For more information visit the Stroke Association website by clicking here.