Miracle Greenock woman left in coma helping stroke victims

Kerry Glancy was given no chance of a full recovery by medics after fracturing her skull in a fall down stairs on the boat and being left unable to talk.

Her devastated parents were told that she would need round-the-clock care if she ever made it home.

But astonishingly, Kerry - who was in hospital for two months - learned to walk and talk again, and just a year later she was able to go to university.

Since her accident at the age of 19 in 1989 she has devoted her life to helping others, swapping her job teaching Spanish to work in social care and also volunteering.

The 53-year-old home care support worker gives up her own time as a speech and language therapy volunteer in the Inverclyde Royal's stroke ward.

Kerry, who lives in Brougham Street, said: "I made a full recovery and I put that down to all the prayers that were said for me, and the love and support of my family.

"I know I was very, very fortunate and I feel blessed and that has made me believe I should give back.

"It means the world to me to be able to help stroke patients."

Kerry added: "I was in a coma for five days and I can't really remember very much at the time.

"I was unable to speak when I woke up, and I struggled to walk. My words kept getting jumbled up and the syntax was all wrong. My parents were told to expect the worst, I would be left severely physically and mentally disabled.

"But by some miracle I recovered.

"I was unable to speak for a couple of months, and then when my speech did come back it was quite jumbled.

“As time went on, with support from the hospital at the time and my family, I recovered. It took a while for it to come back."

With the love of her late parents Betty, a former St Mungo's head teacher and her dad Tom, a former IBM worker, and her brothers and sisters Kerry made a full recovery.

She said: "It had a life changing impact on me. Just before the accident happened I was accepted at Glasgow University to study Spanish and English literature but they would only hold my place open for me for a year. I managed to recover and get to university. I left with a degree and I went on to teach."

Kerry worked as a Spanish teacher in local secondary schools, finishing up in Greenock High and even went abroad to teach English.

At the same time she was a committed volunteer, helping out at Barnardo's, but she felt increasingly compelled to do more and moved to work in social care.

Kerry said: "I feel like care is a vocation and something I wanted to do, it was a way to give back.

She went on to work with adults with severe disabilities at Key Housing and then four years ago started working as a home care support work with Inverclyde HSCP.

But last year she took on the opportunity to volunteer in the Larkfield Unit with stroke victims.

Now, as part of Volunteer Week, she hopes to encourage more people to give up their own time for the NHS.

Kerry works with three patients per week, where under the direction of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde’s Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) service.

Kerry said: "When I’m helping patients who are recovering after having a stroke and their speech is affected, I can relate to how they are feeling.

“I can understand the challenges they face. It all depends on the individual, and each patient’s ability at the time.

“I enjoy it very much. Every week is different, and the patients I’m supporting are at different stages.

“I may see the same people for a few weeks in a row and it’s brilliant to see how they’ve come on in their recovery.

“It’s always great to see people moving on and being able to go home from hospital, and to have been a part of encouraging them in their own progress. To see them improving and regaining their confidence is very rewarding.

“This role also provides patients with some companionship. Having that time to sit with someone just to talk can make a huge difference to them.

“It also brings me a lot of positivity as I enjoy helping my community.”

NHSGGC volunteer manager Harry Balch said: “Volunteers such as Kerry bring a whole range of experience and skills to the service and that’s what makes volunteering so important.

“Not only do the volunteers provide support to patients, it can be a hugely rewarding – and sometimes surprising - experience for those who volunteer.

"Volunteers’ Week gives us the opportunity to say a huge thank you to our volunteers and celebrate their contribution."

If you would like to be involved as a volunteer visit Become a Volunteer on the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde website.