Deb Shaw, 64, has transformed her recovery into a mission to empower fellow stroke survivors.
Seven years ago, I never imagined how drastically life could change in an instant. I had considered myself relatively healthy, aside from managing Type 2 diabetes. Stroke wasn’t in my family history, so it wasn’t something I feared.
But one morning in 2016, my right side suddenly went numb, and I collapsed. I struck my head, leaving me dazed. An ambulance rushed me to the hospital. The numbness had already started to fade, and the tests looked normal. I was sent home, unaware that this was only the beginning of my fight for survival.
A few days later, the real storm hit. I woke up unable to move, my body heavy and uncooperative. I was diagnosed with an ischemic brainstem stroke, which led to five long weeks of inpatient rehabilitation—the first of many steps in my journey.
Three months later, stroke struck again, this time right in front of my doctor in his office. I fortunately avoided serious complications, but it left lingering challenges, especially with my blood pressure.
For a while, life felt stable. Then in 2019, I collapsed again, and I suffered another head injury plus a stroke in my retina.
Through it all, my husband Bob and I have learned to be relentless researchers and advocates for my care. I immersed myself in therapies of every kind: inpatient rehab, outpatient occupational and physical therapies, hyperbaric oxygen, aquatic therapy, and acupuncture. I pushed myself hard—sometimes too hard—but was determined to reclaim my life.
My right side remains affected. Fine motor skills in my dominant hand are limited. I wear an ankle-foot orthotic to help with walking, and I had to relearn everyday skills like typing and cooking. But despite these challenges, I live with a sense of gratitude and purpose.
With Bob by my side, I’ve channeled my energy into helping others. We started a stroke support group in the San Francisco Bay Area and founded Champion the Challenges, a foundation to support the stroke community with inspiring ideas, practical tools, and resources that help everyone involved support healing and recovery.
One of our biggest fundraisers is Golf 4 Life—Balancing Life After Stroke. The event brings together survivors, therapists, nurses, and golf pros to create a safe, fun space where people can test their balance, try their swing, and, most importantly, feel connected.
What I have learned about myself through all of this is that I am resilient—that I am competitive in ways I never realized. I go into every therapy session ready to beat my last score, to push the limits of my recovery. Stroke has tested me in every possible way. But it also has shown me the power of determination, the importance of support, and the beauty of building community. I am not the same Deb I once was, but I am proud of the life I have created after stroke.
—As told to Paul Wynn
https://www.brainandlife.org/articles/three-time-stroke-survivor-empowers-others