Instagram story viewer> @differentstrokesuk> Tagged

Different Strokes

@differentstrokesuk

5.6K

followers

422

following

💚 We help younger stroke survivors & their families in the UK to reclaim their lives. 💙
☎️ Call 0345 130 7172
📨 Email [email protected]

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

How to chop vegetables with one hand

A another series of Chiara’s One-Handed Hacks. I am collaborating with @differentstrokesuk the only charity dedicated to younger stroke survivors in the UK This hack comes straight from a request by the Different Strokes community.

I will be sharing a Reel to both of our Instagram pages to help you with an everyday task one-handed. If you have any hacks, you would like to see you can leave a comment below or you can DM me

If you try the hacks at home – don’t forget to share your progress by tagging us or using the hashtag

#hemiplegia #strokesurvivor #onehand #onehanded #strokeawareness

64

2

Come and join us at our favourite diner to celebrate world stroke day with likeminded people who understand just how hard it is @differentstrokesuk @stroke east @headway_uk

0

0

💙 YOU CAN LOOK FINE AND STILL BE FIGHTING A BATTLE NO ONE CAN SEE.

This week is Invisible Disabilities Week, and it’s a reminder that not every disability is visible — and not every struggle is obvious.

For many stroke survivors, the hardest parts of recovery are the ones people never see. The overwhelming fatigue, brain fog, memory problems, pain, anxiety, emotional changes and the daily battle to get through things that once felt effortless.

You might look fine on the outside, smile, laugh and carry on with your day — but that doesn’t mean you’re not struggling.

💭 Just because you can’t see someone’s disability doesn’t mean it isn’t real.

This week, let’s challenge assumptions, listen without judgement and remember that everyone’s experience is different. You don’t have to understand someone’s struggle to show them compassion.

💙 To our StrokeBrotherhood community: we see you. Your struggles are valid, your experiences matter, and you don’t have to prove how difficult things are to deserve understanding.

👇 Let’s start a conversation:

What’s one thing about living with an invisible disability that you wish more people understood?

Share your experiences below. You never know who might need to read your words today. 🫶

#InvisibleDisabilitiesWeek #StrokeSurvivors #StrokeBrotherhood #InvisibleIllness #ButYouDontLookSick

23

1

💚 Putting patients at the heart of the conversation. 🎙️ Join the live broadcast tomorrow!

Access to reliable information is essential for informed patient choice.

For #stroke survivors, understanding the potential benefits, risks and suitability of different treatment options is an important part of making informed #healthcare decisions.

As Austin Willett, CEO of @differentstrokesuk, highlights, clear and relevant information about #medicalcannabis can help stroke survivors have informed conversations with healthcare professionals.

We're proud to partner with Different Strokes for #BeyondAwareness: Patient Choice, Safety & Improved Quality of Life.

📅 Tuesday, 20 October 2026
🕚 11am–4pm BST
📍 @british_canna HQ, Wokingham

🔗 Register to watch online ➡️ https://www.eventbrite.com/e/beyond-awareness-patient-choice-safety-improved-quality-of-life-tickets-2002619134741

#PatientChoice #StrokeSurvivors #PatientVoices

11

0

❤️ SEX, INTIMACY & RELATIONSHIPS AFTER A STROKE — LET’S TALK ABOUT THE THINGS PEOPLE DON’T ALWAYS FEEL COMFORTABLE DISCUSSING.

A stroke can change so much about your life, and that can include your sex life, intimacy and relationships. But these changes don’t always get talked about. 💜

You might experience changes in desire, physical sensation, confidence, energy levels or how you feel about your own body. You might worry about how your partner sees you, or find that intimacy feels different from how it used to.

Perhaps you’re the partner trying to understand what’s changed. Maybe you miss the closeness you once shared, but you’re unsure how to start the conversation.

Whatever your experience, you’re not alone.

Intimacy isn’t just about sex. It’s about touch, affection, trust, communication and feeling loved for who you are — not just for what your body can do.

Recovery can mean finding new ways to connect, being patient with each other and having honest conversations without embarrassment or shame. And if you’re struggling, it’s okay to seek professional support. ❤️

💬 LET’S OPEN UP THE CONVERSATION:

👉 Has your stroke affected your confidence, intimacy or relationships?
👉 Have you found it difficult to talk to your partner about the changes?
👉 What advice would you give someone navigating this part of recovery?

Share as much or as little as you feel comfortable with. No judgement, no embarrassment — just real people, real experiences and a community that understands.

Stroke changes your life, not your worth, your ability to love or your right to feel connected. 💜

#StrokeBrotherhood #LifeAfterStroke #StrongerTogether

27

1

Different needs call for different approaches. 🧩

When it comes to strength training, the preparation can be just as important as the exercises themselves.

It’s about understanding what each client needs, adapting the support we provide and giving them the best possible opportunity to make progress.

And sometimes, it’s about laying the groundwork for what comes next.

#strokerecovery #strokesurvivor #ptglasgow

28

1

🗣️ APHASIA: When you know what you want to say, but the words just won’t come. 💜

Imagine knowing exactly what you want to say, having thoughts, feelings and opinions just like everyone else, but struggling to get the words out. Or imagine understanding what someone is saying, but finding it difficult to respond.

For many stroke survivors living with aphasia, this is everyday life.

Aphasia can affect speaking, understanding, reading and writing. It can make conversations exhausting, social situations overwhelming and even the simplest interactions frustrating.

But here’s something we all need to remember: aphasia does not mean someone has lost their intelligence, their personality or their ability to think. ❤️

Behind every pause, every difficult sentence and every word that doesn’t come out right is a person with a story to tell.

So, if you’re speaking to someone with aphasia:
💜 Be patient. Give them time.
💜 Listen without finishing their sentences.
💜 Don’t talk down to them.
💜 Remember that communication is about connection, not perfection.

And to anyone living with aphasia: your voice still matters, even when finding it feels impossible. You deserve to be heard, understood and included.

💬 Let’s start a conversation:

Have you experienced aphasia yourself, or supported someone who has? What do you wish more people understood about the impact it has on everyday life?

Share your experience below. You never know who might need to read your words today. 👇

Let’s keep breaking down barriers, one conversation at a time.

Stroke changes your life, not your worth.

— StrokeBrotherhood 🤝

#StrokeBrotherhood #AphasiaAwareness #LifeAfterStroke

14

0

Different Strokes Ashford Kent are one of the chosen charities, for the green token scheme.
PLEASE kindly support us & place your tokens in the middle box for Different Strokes Charity. Thank you 💙

Thank you also to Eileen (Volunteer Sharon’s Mum)
who was happy to have her photo taken
#Waitrose #workingagesurvivors #differentstrokescharity #NotJustTheElderly #ashfordkent
@differentstrokesuk

25

0

9 months post stroke, I found myself back where it all started, in hospital. I’d been so excited about this milestone, celebrating how far I’d come and seeing my progress. This doesn’t undo that, I’ve done it before, I’ll do it again 💪🏽 A reality check for how vulnerable my damaged brain really is, my new normal.

I focus on highlights and triumphs but for stroke survivors, transparency is key in recovery so I want to show that regressions are a part of stroke recovery. You are still progressing, still achieving and you are still a day closer to your next goal. Keep going 💪🏽

Grateful to be back home with my family. Missing my ladies on the ward, my mischievous girl gang causing mayhem together. We cheered each other on with every wobbly step, we blew kisses every morning and laughed till we fell asleep. We shed tears as I left, I’ll forever be grateful I had them through my stay and blown away by the incredible multi-disciplinary team who cared for me at Western General Hospital. As promised, I’m visiting my ladies to keep them smiling & keep them naughty.

#stroke #strokerecovery #strokesurvivor #health #motivation

414

34

Guess what I’ve gone and done now 😲

Back in 2020 soon after my 5th stroke in an Intensive Care Unit 250 miles away from home, I recall looking out of my ward window and promising myself to do whatever it would take to get outside and enjoy movement again.

Fast forward 6 years and with huge support from family/ friends & healthcare professionals, I have just finished joint 43rd in the International Body Surf Association 2026 World Tour men’s Open Finals.

Totally stoked with this result! The whole journey and experience has been awesome and unbelievable. I am completely indebted to all who have made this dream come true - thank you for supporting me 🙏🤙❤️

We encountered some highs and lows along the 1200 mile road trip to Anglet which included a shift as a sports commentator, meeting my bodysurf idols, our accommodation going into liquidation and my phone decided to stop working… but adaption, patience & resilience are skills I’ve honed throughout my recovery so all good.

This journey has been professionally captured and all going well will be released as a short film next year! I will keep you posted 🎥🤙

JUST GIVE IT A GO OR YOU’LL NEVER KNOW!

151

61

How to fold clothes with one hand

A another series of Chiara’s One-Handed Hacks. I am collaborating with @differentstrokesuk the only charity dedicated to younger stroke survivors in the UK This hack comes straight from a request by the Different Strokes community.

I will be sharing a Reel to both of our Instagram pages to help you with an everyday task one-handed. If you have any hacks, you would like to see you can leave a comment below or you can DM me

If you try the hacks at home – don’t forget to share your progress by tagging us or using the hashtag #onehandedhacks

#hemiplegia #strokesurvivor #youngstrokesurvivors #onehand

144

6

“People think you recover from a stroke and then you just move on.”

In this clip, @julian_reddish_wellbeing talks about a part of stroke recovery that isn’t always understood.

Life keeps moving for family and friends. They get back to work, routines, responsibilities and everyday life. Usually, they aren’t intentionally leaving the survivor behind.

But for the survivor, recovery can move at a completely different pace.

And sometimes, that difference can leave survivors feeling isolated, forgotten or ignored.

Stroke recovery doesn’t end just because the rest of the world has moved on. ❤️

#StrokeRecovery #StrokeSurvivor #Aphasia #BrainInjury #StrokeAwareness LifeAfterStroke

21

1