‘I remember thinking that I was too young to have a stroke – but I was wrong’
A mother-of-three who suffered a stroke in her late thirties said no one was too young to suffer from the neurological disorder and warned people to monitor their blood pressure levels.
Strokes could increase by almost 42 percent if people don’t pay attention to their health, according to new estimates published by the Stroke Association.
The charity has predicted that more than 414 people a day could suffer a stroke by 2035; This equates to approximately 151,000 people per year. That’s a huge increase from the current 280 per day, or 106,565 per year.
Having high blood pressure is considered the biggest risk factor, the charity said, adding that this increase is due to an aging population, with more people living with long-term conditions that make them more likely to have a stroke.
Mum-of-three Claire Arnopp, 40, from Welwyn Garden City, said her stroke in December 2024 was a “wake-up call” after she allowed stress to overwhelm her life and began ignoring her health.
“I remember thinking I was too young to have a stroke, but I was wrong,” he said. “Strokes don’t just happen to other people or older people. So my message is simple but urgent: don’t ignore high blood pressure. Ask questions, get checked and follow medical advice because small changes really matter.”
Ms. Arnopp experienced high blood pressure, known as gestational hypertension, during pregnancy. Although he never thought he might have a stroke, he was unaware that his high blood pressure might need to be monitored. After her parents became ill and her husband Will lost his job for a while, she started drinking more, losing sleep and not eating properly.
“I had no idea how dangerous my blood pressure actually was,” Ms. Arnopp added. “I was wandering around in blissful denial, not realizing that I was risking my life by not monitoring or managing this properly.
He was hospitalized for four days for two right-sided infarctions. Although he is not physically disabled, he said the experience “horrified” him and changed his life.
“My mood changed. My memory changed. My whole life changed,” he said. But although the experience was terrifying, he said he now feels “reborn”.
Now, nearly a year after recovering from her unhealthy relationship with alcohol and an improved diet, Ms. Arnopp is managing her blood pressure better.
“I’m a completely different person. I’m truly grateful that I had the stroke. It saved my life. It was my warning sign, my wake-up call. I feel lucky to have been given a second chance,” she said. “My message is simple. Don’t ignore your health. Don’t brush it off like I did. And if something is wrong, trust yourself.”
The charity urged the public to help protect themselves by monitoring their blood pressure and keeping it at a healthy level, including by eating a healthy diet, not smoking or vaping, exercising regularly and not drinking excessive amounts of alcohol.
The organization has urged the public to take part in NHS midlife health checks, which can help detect high blood pressure.
Juliet Bouverie, chief executive of the Stroke Association, warned that the risk of stroke is increasing as the country’s health situation worsens.
“Stroke risk factors are silent killers because there is a real lack of awareness that smoking, eating poorly, drinking too much alcohol and not exercising regularly cause high blood pressure, thus storing problems for later life,” he said. “One in four people who have a stroke are already of working age. This situation will worsen unless preventative measures are taken alongside improvements in stroke treatment, care and recovery.
“The government has set itself a target of reducing cardiovascular and stroke deaths by 25 per cent over the next decade, and we must also reduce the preventable disability many stroke survivors have.
“This is possible when there is a real focus on preventing both primary and secondary strokes.
“NHS health checks are an excellent point of contact for this and are a cost-effective option when public budgets are so weak.
“With affirmative action, we can prevent the number of people suffering from stroke from getting even further out of control.”
