Nic met Tasmanian Iconic Walks founder Jo Cordell-Cooper at the Business Eastern Shore Awards where Tasmanian Iconic Walks won a community prize. He decided to join our event for 2019. Nic is proof you can be a fit young man and still have a stroke. It is also important to remember that with fast medical attention you can make a full recovery.
This is Nic’s story and his experience with stroke
I suffered an Ischemic Stroke at the age of 37.
As a fit, healthy man I never expected anything like this would ever happen to me. In my 20s I trained as a PE teacher taught and led children and others sporting groups in how to live a healthy lifestyle.
I had none of the risk factors that are synonymous with stroke:
- blood pressure
- diabetes
- smoking
- drinking
- overweight, etc.
The thing that we believe influenced the stroke was overworking myself, and stress
Stroke occurred, couldn’t see or walk unassisted, spent 2 weeks in the hospital, and whilst very lucky… had to rethink everything about how I chose to live life.
Since then, I have reshaped how I work, who I connect with, what I do and what I place value on.
I now have a focus on living for every moment – being present in the moments that many people just let pass them by in all their busyness.
I work with groups in organisation, speaking about resilience and stress management techniques, I work with leadership groups on how to inspire their people through connecting with purpose and balance, my business growth the capacity of people in leadership roles to be focused on relational currency, building their teams to be more connected with their work, and purposeful in their intent.
I speak as a StrokeSafe ambassador, raising the awareness of those in our community to how to prevent a Stroke, or support others in seeing the signs.
Recently I joined the Stroke Foundation’s Consumer Council, assisting in the advocacy of consumers – ensuring their experience is as good as it can be – that they get the information they require in a manner that is accessible and understandable.
I have joined Tasmanian Iconic Walks, to help some amazing ladies in their vision to make the world of Stroke survival better.
Stroke awareness is still poorly understood, so the opportunity to develop a community focussed on courage and compassion is very inspiring. As an avid walker and trail runner, the Tasmanian outdoors is where I find my happy place, connect with something greater than me, and find a deeper presence in interaction with others experiencing the same place.
The walk on March 2nd* is my opportunity to show that with the right rehabilitation, self-belief and faith Stroke survival is possible. (edit: *Nic is taking part for the third time April 6, Tarn Shelf, Mount Field, Tasmania, 2024)