Young stroke survivor faces battle for mobility

A DETERMINED young stroke survivor who defied doctors’ fears that she would never walk again is facing another battle – the need to raise thousands of pounds or risk being confined to a wheelchair.

Emmy Macnicol (27) suffered from a medullary infarction following brain surgery in Bristol two years ago. It is a very rare type of stroke that affects only one per cent of stroke survivors worldwide and left her with left-sided hemiplegia and very limited movement in her hip.

Miss Macnicol, who hails from Strathpeffer, said that after suffering the stroke on the eve of her 25th birthday, she had received "absolutely outstanding care" but that doctors warned her she "would never walk again".

"They also said that I would need to be sent to a care home, but I was not going to take no for an answer," she said.

"I met with the physio team at Raigmore Hopsital. They were absolutely out of this world and I would not be here without them."

Armed with her determination to fight her diagnosis, Miss Macnicol worked with her physios and was fitted with a knee ankle foot orthosis (KAFO) – the same type of brace used to aid polio survivors. It locks the whole leg straight, meaning the wearer must walk from their hip alone – building strengthen within the joint.

But it is only designed for short distances and, due to the progress Miss Macnicol has made in her physiotherapy, it is now no longer suitable for her treatment.

A new carbon fibre brace is available which would be substantially lighter and also feature special hinges – enabling her to walk more naturally as she looks to take the next step in her treatment.

It would also allow her to walk further before fatigue sets in, and give her greater independence.

But without this new brace, which costs £5500, Miss Macnicol could be left stuck in a wheelchair.

"Unfortunately I nor my family can fund this [brace] ourselves because I self-fund all aspects of my rehabilitation (including weekly physio) and the high cost of the brace itself," said Miss Macnicol.

"My sister Rebekha started a crowdfunding page to raise funds for a new brace as, due to NHS cutbacks, they will not fund anything else – although even the NHS agree it is what I need.

"It feels like my life is on hold yet again!"

Rebekha added: "This new brace means that she can walk a lot further and potentially have no need to use her wheelchair at all!

"She would be able to walk with a more natural gait, without her leg fatiguing. She will be able to do more independently.

"Little things like walking uphill, upstairs, at a quicker pace, playing with her dog... all of these small things that she cannot do with her current brace."

To help Emmy Macnicol visit uk.gofundme.com/ab5c58-help-my-sister-walk-again.