'We never imagined our teen would suffer a stroke'

A mum whose 15-year-old son suffered a life-changing stroke has warned "it can happen to anyone".

Finley, from Portsmouth, was looking forward to playing his first match for East Lodge Football Club in July last year when his mum, Kelly, found him collapsed behind his bedroom door, unable to move or speak.

He spent seven-and-a-half weeks in hospital and, although Finley has made what his family describe as "remarkable" progress, he is still living with the effects of the stroke almost a year on.

South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS) is now urging people not to ignore the warning signs, stressing that strokes can affect people of any age.

When Kelly found Finley collapsed, she immediately called 999 and the first person to arrive at the family home was a volunteer who responded on the GoodSAM app. They were quickly followed by two ambulance crews.

The team recognised that Finley's symptoms could indicate he was having a stroke and he was rushed to the Queen Alexandra (QA) Hospital in Portsmouth for emergency treatment.

After medics at the QA consulted specialists at University Hospital Southampton's hyper-acute stroke unit, Finley was given emergency thrombolysis – clot-busting medication used to restore blood flow to the brain.

Immediately afterwards, Finley was urgently transferred to the paediatric intensive care unit in Southampton.

Kelly said: "One of the things we've heard time and time again is, 'he's too young to have a stroke'.

"The reality is that stroke can happen to anyone.

"We never imagined it could happen to our healthy, sporty 15-year-old son.

"If sharing Finley's story helps even one person recognise the signs of stroke and seek help quickly, then it's worth it."

The ambulance service said that while some people experience sudden facial drooping, arm weakness or speech difficulties, others may have milder symptoms that can be easy to dismiss.

Kelly added: "The stroke came completely out of nowhere.

"Finley was a healthy teenager who loved football, spending time with friends and being active outdoors. You never think something like this will happen to your child.

"He's worked incredibly hard during his recovery and we're so proud of him.

"But stroke has changed all our lives. We want people to understand that stroke isn't just something that happens to older people."

Duncan Robertson, chief paramedic at SCAS, said: "Many people associate stroke with older age, but strokes can affect people of all ages, including children and young adults.

"One of the biggest dangers is when symptoms appear mild or seem to improve.

"People can be tempted to wait and see if things get better, but a stroke or transient ischaemic attack (TIA), often referred to as a mini stroke, can be an early warning sign and should never be ignored."