People Power series: Community engagement and networks – Phil Collis, United Kingdom

Phil was born in a small village in the United Kingdom. In 1975, at the age of 17 years and without warning, he suffered a subarachnoid brain haemorrhage which caused a stroke. Thiswas a hugely traumatic experience which left him temporarily paralyzed, changing his life forever. He still suffers the consequences to this day.

Following Phil’s stroke, he became reliant on a team of clinicians and was extremely vulnerable.He had dreams of becoming a rock star and the situation made that future hard to imagine. It was deeply traumatic for a young adult.

Through Phil’s experience with stroke at the age of 17, we learn how local support groups in his hometown in the United Kingdom fuelled his desire to pay it forward and build supportive networks for stroke survivors.

This article is an excerpt from the publication ‘People power - Perspectives from individuals with lived experience of noncommunicable diseases, mental health conditions and neurological conditions’, which includes six detailed case studies from 12 individuals with lived experience of diverse health conditions.

The case studies were developed using participatory research through focus groups with people with lived experience of NCDs, mental health conditions and neurological conditions.