A STROKE survivor has gained praise from Esther McVey and her colleagues in Westminster, after telling the story of her struggles with mental health.

Charlotte Covey, who suffered a stroke in 2004 aged just 18, addressed Members of Parliament in London last week in a bid to help fellow survivors gain timely access to health and social care.

After leaving hospital, Charlotte was left feeling abandoned by the NHS and suffered mental health problems, leading to anorexia.

As of two years ago, the Knutsfordian has been volunteering with the Stroke Association and was approached by Mark Macdonald, the Stroke Association’s head of policy and public affairs, to share her story with around a dozen MPs.

She said: “I have been involved in the charity’s policy and reform group and in that I am involved with about 11 other people all across the UK talking about policies involving strokes.

“We went down to the Houses of Parliament and I was a representative as a stroke survivor. We spoke to MPs about our experiences and the response of the healthcare system – or lack thereof in my case.

“Lots of people think of stroke survivors as elderly, but I was there to prove that it can happen to younger people as well.

“If I had had counselling that would have been so much better for the long term expenses. It was getting their attention, and getting them more familiar with strokes and the effects.

“I would have thought I would be really nervous, but they were just normal people wanting to hear my story and learn more.”

Ahead of her trip down south, Charlotte’s dad had contacted Esther, who duly attended the end of the speech and found time afterwards to speak to Charlotte one on one.

The Tatton MP said: “Charlotte spoke wonderfully about her experience and how she has dealt with it all. She is becoming a champion for the issue and a guiding light for other people.

“Coming to parliament and saying ‘how do we raise this’ allows us to work with her and the Stroke Association to say ‘what can we do about it’.”

Charlotte was in London as part of a parliamentary drop-in session, and has had positive feedback from a number of MPs interested in advancing the case for post-stroke health and social care.