A stroke survivor from Orwell is raising money to help the Addenbrooke's ward which aided her recovery.

Thirty-three-year-old Kirsten Bailey, who uses a wheelchair and has spinal muscular atrophy and autism, is a volunteer at Addenbrooke's Charitable Trust.

Kirsten was born in The Rosie Hospital, part of the Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and has had many visits to Addenbrooke's as both an outpatient and an inpatient during her life.

When the pandemic began, Kirsten was forced to isolate, and later that year suffered a stroke at the age of 29, which she described as "the biggest and most terrifying shock".

She said: "The team at Addenbrooke's were amazing and after six days of tests and procedures I was allowed to go home to recover.

"I had community OTs (occupational therapists) and physios for a few months as my left arm had been affected badly by the stroke.

"For quite a few weeks I couldn't move it properly."

A year after her first stroke, Kirsten suffered another mini-stroke and was taken to Addenbrooke's in an ambulance.

In March this year she had surgery to remove a cavernoma, which was the cluster of abnormal blood vessels in her brain which caused the stroke.

The surgery was successful and now Kirsten is almost fully recovered.

Kirsten was on the A3 ward the night before and for 13 nights after her surgery.

She said: "The staff were incredible there.

"They were kind, thoughtful and caring in a time that was so uncertain for me and my friends and family.

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"I was petrified and they knew that and tried to help me as best they could.

"They were run of their feet and you could see they were tired without a break, but nothing was ever too much trouble and they made me feel safe and secure."

Kirsten now hopes to raise money to make the day and quiet room on A3 more homely, and to get the ward its own mobile hoist, ECG and bladder scanner, as it is currently sharing with several other wards.

She is also raising money for a new table for the staff room and somewhere for staff to store their coats and bags.

The total cost for the new equipment is £8,600.

Kirsten is also organising a fete to raise money, which will take place at Orwell Village Hall from 11.30am to 3.30pm on July 29, with a raffle at 3pm.

To donate go to https://www.justgiving.com/page/kirsten-bailey-1683038020132.