Charles Louis, 48, is a trusty volunteer at National Stroke Association headquarters where he is committed to spreading the word about stroke. “I would like to see more media coverage,” he says. “Just getting the word out would be helpful.”Louis had a subarachnoid hemorrhage six years ago, at the age of 42. He had no idea what stroke was—all he knew was that he was having the worst headache of his life. He drove himself to the hospital, despite having no insurance. His journey to the hospital continued with transfers and visits to three more hospitals.
Today, the remaining effects of Louis’ stroke include short-term memory loss, some trouble writing and foot drop. He sees his stroke as a sort of rebirth or second chance; if you ask him when it happened, he’ll quote the exact date and say, “I’m 6 years old.”
While Louis has not returned to work, he has spent more than two years at National Stroke Association, giving an empathetic ear to stroke survivors and caregivers who call the organization looking for resources, information or just a friendly voice. He also attends and speaks at stroke support groups and community centres.
Louis describes himself as hopeful—“I’m hopeful that I can continue, both spiritually and physically.”
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