National Stroke documentary highlights rehabilitation journey for young people at The Walton Centre
Patients and staff from The Walton Centre have featured in a new documentary highlighting the complex journey young people who experience strokes and bleeds on the brain take to recover.
The two-part documentary, 'Trauma: My Broken Brain' was commissioned by Channel 4 in partnership with the Stroke Association, produced by Stream Media Group. It coincides with World Stroke Day (29/10/26) and reveals the frequently long and life-changing road young people can take after surviving a stroke.
The documentary features three young stroke survivors, two of which were treated at The Walton Centre - the UK's only specialist hospital trust dedicated to neuroscience.
The series includes Dan, a 28-year-old dancer left confined to a wheelchair, barely able to speak, and with a section of skull removed following emergency brain surgery; Dec, a 20-year-old who collapsed just four months into a new relationship and spent weeks in a coma; and Saskia, a 22-year-old, treated at North Bristol Hospital, a self-described social butterfly left bedbound after a brain bleed so severe her family feared she would not survive.
Both Dan and Dec underwent lifesaving surgery at The Walton Centre, before undergoing initial rehabilitation in the hospital's intensive care, hyperacute and complex rehabilitation units. Dan went on to receive further rehabilitation at Wirral University Teaching Hospital's Clatterbridge Rehabilitation Centre, capturing the significant milestones and victories of his early stroke recovery.
The documentary highlights the sometimes-long recovery patients experience, and the extensive range of professionals, from Speech and Language Therapists to Clinical Neuropsychologists, involved in their rehabilitation as part of the Cheshire and Merseyside Rehabilitation Network, hosted by The Walton Centre.
Dr Mark Kellett, Chief Medical Officer, said: “The programme highlights the often-overlooked journey that many patients with brain injuries take. We frequently see examples on television of surgery and the early interventions that prove lifesaving, but the road patients have to take to rehabilitate and relearn many essential skills often goes under-reported.
“This documentary shows the hard work our multidisciplinary team, patients and families do together for recovery in the months and years after a stroke.”
Dr Swati Chapman, Consultant Lead Neuropsychologist, took part in filming. She said: “The programmes shine a light on the importance of recognising the less visible symptoms of brain injury, such as cognitive changes and effects on behaviour and mood. These can not only affect how successful rehabilitation is in the short-term, but can also determine the long-term outcomes in how well the individual is able to return to their pre-stroke lives.
“Many patients who experience brain injuries due to stroke can undergo complicated symptoms that can be new and frightening for them and their loved ones. These can also be a barrier to rehabilitation. Clinical Neuropsychology works to identify these and to formulate how they may collectively affect recovery and adjustment, as well as work collectively with the multidisciplinary team to support a holistic approach to rehabilitation.”
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Notes to editors
Photo: Dan in West Kirby with mum Claire [Copyright: Channel 4/Stream Media Group].
Further information, or to arrange an interview, please contact the Communications Team at The Walton Centre on 0151 556 3397 or wcft.communications@nhs.net
The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust is the only hospital trust in the UK specialising in neurology, neurosurgery and pain services. Although the majority of patients come from Merseyside, Cheshire, North Wales, Lancashire and the Isle of Man, for some specialist treatments of complex disorders we see patients from all parts of the country, referred by their GPs or other neurologists, neurosurgeons and pain clinicians.
The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust was rated as 'Outstanding' by the Care Quality Commission. The independent regulator of all health and social care services in England published its rating on Friday 21 October 2016, following announced and unannounced inspection visits to the Trust in April 2016.
For more information please visit: www.thewaltoncentre.nhs.uk or follow the Trust on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.
The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust, Lower Lane, Fazakerley, Liverpool L9 7LJ
0151 525 3611