1: Janet Speight and her husband Robert.

Janet's story

I had a hearing problem and an acoustic neuroma was diagnosed. The tumour was very small but after a few years in 2001 it began to grow and the consultant decided that an operation was needed. The operation was successful, but two days after the operation I had a stroke. In the early hours of the morning, I found myself being on a trolley, to where I was going no one knows. .............

Bob's story

The year was 2001, Janet, my better half, had been having problems with an acoustic neuroma, a benign tumour on the acoustic nerve, which caused her deafness in one ear. Although non life threatening, indications were that it had grown slightly. Long term, it could grow and cause problems with the facial nerves, vision, balance, dizziness and possible poor limb co-ordination. ......

2. Mick Ruddy and his wife Sue.

Mick's story

After the mind bending storm of the first six months of suffering with the effects of a stroke, you find out that you are suffering with a condition known as aphasia.

This describes your lack of ability to communicate, to concentrate, to spell, to be numerate, to read, and to write. Every stroke patient feels this to a different degree. .................

Sue's story

I really can’t think of myself as carer of my husband who suffered a huge stroke almost 8 years ago, although we both know that in so many ways I am - its more of a bit of a shift in the way we go about things. We have got so used to it now that it is sometimes hard to remember that world we lived in prior to the event. ......