A mother-of-three who had a stroke in her late thirties has said that no one is too young to suffer from the neurological condition and warned people to monitor their blood pressure levels.
Strokes could rise by almost 42 per cent if people don’t take care of their health, according to new estimates released by the Stroke Association.
The charity predicted more than 414 people a day could have stroke by 2035 - the equivalent of around 151,000 per year. A vast increase from the 280 a day at present, or 106,565 each year.
Having high blood pressure is considered to be the single biggest risk factor, the charity said, adding that an aging population was the cause of this rise, with more people living with long term conditions which put them at a higher chance of having a stroke.
Mother-of-three Claire Arnopp, 40 from Welwyn Garden City, said that her stroke in December 2024 had been a “wake-up call” after she had let stress overwhelm her life and began to ignore her health.
“I remember thinking that I was too young to have a stroke – but I was wrong,” she said. “Strokes don’t just happen to other or older people. So, my message now is simple but urgent: don’t ignore high blood pressure. Ask questions, get checked, and follow medical advice as small changes really do matter.”
Ms Arnopp experienced high blood pressure in pregnancy, known as gestational hypertension. While she never imagined she might have a stroke, she didn’t realise that her high blood pressure might need monitoring. After her parents became ill and her partner Will lost work for a period, she started drinking more, losing sleep and not eating properly.
“I had no idea how dangerous my blood pressure really was,” Ms Arnopp added. “I was walking around in blissful denial, not understanding that by not monitoring or managing it properly, I was putting my life at risk.
She was hospitalised for four days with two right-sided infarcts. While she wasn’t left with physical disabilities, she said the experience had “terrified” her and changed her life.
“My mood changed. My memory changed. My whole life shifted,” she said. But while the experience had been terrifying, she said she now felt “reborn.”
Now, Ms Arnopp is managing her blood pressure better after nearly a year into recovery from an unhealthy relationship with alcohol and an improved diet.
“I’m a completely different person. I’m actually grateful 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 a simple one. Don’t ignore your health. Don’t brush it off like I did. And if something feels wrong - trust yourself.”
The charity has urged the public to help protect themselves by monitoring their blood pressure and keeping it at a healthy level including eating a healthy diet, not smoking or vaping, getting regular exercise and not drinking excessive amounts of alcohol.
The organisation has called on the public to take part in the NHS’s mid-life health checks, which can help spot high blood pressure.
Juliet Bouverie, chief executive of the Stroke Association, warned that as the nation’s health declines, the risk of stroke rises.
“The risk factors of stroke are silent killers as there’s a real lack of awareness about how smoking, poor diet, drinking a lot of alcohol, and not getting regular exercise causes high blood pressure and therefore stores problems up for later life,” she said. “Already one in four people who have a stroke are of working age. Without preventative action, alongside improvements to stroke treatment, care and recovery, this will only get worse.
“The Government has set itself a target to reduce cardiovascular and stroke deaths by 25 per cent over the next decade and we must also reduce the avoidable disability which many stroke survivors are left with.
“This is possible when there’s a real focus on preventing both primary and secondary strokes.
“NHS health checks are a perfect point of contact for this – and are a cost-effective option when public budgets are so thinly stretched.
“With affirmative action, we can stop the number of people having strokes from spiralling even further out of control.”
Millions of vulnerable people missing out on benefits, Martin Lewis’ charity warns
Men’s heart attack risk rises much earlier than first thought, new study finds
Commonly prescribed drug could slash heart attack and stroke risk
Heart disease deaths decrease but it’s still America’s most deadly condition
Retired couple fear ‘scariest’ Storm Chandra flooding as major incident declared
