World Stroke Day: Derry toddler Anna 'a wee miracle' after being diagnosed with a stroke just days after her birth

Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com 
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
Visit Shots! now
The parents of a ‘miracle’ Derry toddler who were told just days after her birth that she had experienced a stroke, have highlighted the valued support of the Stroke Association.

Tuesday of this week was World Stroke Day and Derry couple, Lauren and Craig Duncan are parents to little Anna, a music-loving little ‘genius’ who was born in June 2023 by emergency C-section.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Anna was said to be a perfectly healthy baby, but after a few days on the labour ward, she began to show signs of ‘strange repeated rhythmical movements.’

“It was so overwhelming and scary,” said Lauren.

Lauren and Craig Duncan with their daughters Emily and Anna (front).Lauren and Craig Duncan with their daughters Emily and Anna (front).
Lauren and Craig Duncan with their daughters Emily and Anna (front).

“Everything was a blur at this time, I don’t think either of us could really process what was going on.”

Anna was quickly transferred to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), where she was tested and monitored relentlessly.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

On the seventh day at the NICU, doctors decided to carry out an MRI scan of Anna’s brain, which showed signs of a stroke.

“Once the stroke was detected, everything was fast-paced. We were given an endless list of likelihoods for Anna’s development. We didn’t know where to go or who to turn to.”

Lauren and Craig with Anna.Lauren and Craig with Anna.
Lauren and Craig with Anna.

In their darkest hours, Lauren and Craig, from Kilfennan, contacted the Stroke Association’s Childhood Stroke Support Team.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“The lady on the call listened to me for hours and provided our whole family with support and guidance. I will be forever grateful for this call,” said Lauren.

“We also received peer support from another Mum on the same journey as us. She provided us with so much hope that our future would be brighter and happier times would come. She is a friend that I never knew I needed and in turn I can pass on her advice to more parents and care givers.”

Lauren told the Journal how it is not known if Anna, who is now 16 months old, had the stroke in the womb, at birth or afterwards. A stroke between 20 weeks of gestation and within 28 days of birth is described as a perinatal stroke.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

There are currently no statistics or registry of anyone who experienced a stroke before the age of 18. This is something Lauren and Craig want to change.

"It’s not documented. so there’s so scientific research to say, for example, that 400 children had a stroke in 2022. And, I’ve learned that so many factors can cause strokes.

"Not having the registry is a hard pill to swallow. If there was one, we’d be automatically referred to charities and helplines. I had to do that research myself, at a time when you’re vulnerable anyway. Thank God, I found the Stroke Association and they really turned a real page for us."

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The fellow parent she was put in touch with, who Lauren described as a ‘guardian angel’, has become a really good friend.

"We talk all the time and she has given me loads of advice. There’s also a private group of parents and what I’m finding out is that no children are the same. They’re all different and all meeting their wee milestones at different stages. I’ve tried, with Anna, to avoid apps and anything to do with having to tick a box relating to development. With my eldest wee girl, Emily, I documented everything, but you can’t do that with Anna. She has her own wee path.”

Anna, who loves music and is ‘babbling and chatting away’ is ‘just a genius’ says her proud mammy, who adds how many people also describer her as a ‘wee miracle.’

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"We celebrate all the wins. Anything she does is celebrated. She attends physiotherapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy and she has got a really good Team. The early intervention, I believe, was life changing. If we had have left the hospital, not knowing she had a stroke, until maybe she was eight or nine months old and not meeting her milestones, it could have been different.

“There is a lot unknown for her future, but we’ll cross that path when we get there.”

Lauren said the Stroke Association provided vital support for the entire family and in May, they organised a fundraiser that raised an incredible £6000.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The family is working with the Stroke Association to put leaflets highlighting their support and services into local hospitals and neonatal wards.

They are also receiving support from Foyle MLA Mark H Durkan and Anna recently ‘stole the show’ at an SDLP conference.

"Mark Durkan has been amazing. His team is helping me communicate with the Health Minister to see about really pushing for a pathway. I have short, medium and long-term goals with the Stroke Association. The short term is the leaflets, the medium-term is the pathway and the long-term is the registry. I worried about oversharing Anna and I want her to be just Anna. But I know she’ll be proud that she’s able to do this for other families.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"If I had read about an Anna this time last year, I would have felt different. I would hate for another mammy and daddy to feel the way we were feeling. No matter what happens, they are still your wee baby and everything will be fine. It’s scary and i could meet another parent and say it’s going to be grand. It might not be grand for them, but it will be fine. They’re still going to have their wee child.”

Mayor of Derry and Strabane, Councillor Lillian Seenoi-Barr lit up council buildings on Monday to raise awareness for World Stroke Day and Lauren’s work, Mim Engineering held a coffee morning,

According to new research released today by the Stroke Association, one in four stroke survivors (26%) say that talking to other stroke survivors was the single most important part of their recovery, but in fact only a quarter (26%) did so.

The Stroke Association has launched Stroke Encounters – a series of three short films which will debut on the charity’s social media channels - to raise awareness this World Stroke Day.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

These films tell the stories of three people who’ve recently had a stroke, meeting with survivors further along in their recovery journey to talk to them about their experiences and offer help and advice for their recovery.

Over 4,000 people survive a stroke every year in Northern Ireland.

The Stroke Association supports stroke survivors and their families by phone, at home, and in the community. Find out more at www.stroke.org.uk

Related topics:

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.

News you can trust since 1772
Follow us
©National World Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.Cookie SettingsTerms and ConditionsPrivacy notice