Page 2 - Post Stroke Hobbies Exhibition 2016
P. 2
Foreword
I am delighted to introduce the Hobbies Exhibition prepared by stroke survivors, for our World Stroke Congress in Hyderabad. The brain, our most special organ,
controls our motor and sensory functioning, thinking, memory, speech, vision, hearing, but perhaps most importantly, defines our individuality as human beings.
It is the source of our thoughts, memories, hopes, aspirations and creative processes. There is life after stroke and survivors may continue previous hobbies or take
on new interests. As stated eloquently by one of the exhibitors “this is my new reality, yet the person I was before the stroke still has a voice”; another that her hobby
helped to organise the “chaos” in her head.
Despite the loss of some brain functions, stroke survivors often have special insights into the stroke process and indeed into life itself. People who have had brain
injuries are often particularly creative and able to convey new insights into our perception of the stroke process. Stroke survivors are special people and I believe that
their insights and creative processes, as demonstrated in this exhibition, can teach us a great deal about stroke and indeed lead to a better understanding and new
advances in our field.
2 Stroke survivors demonstrate how their pursuit of hobbies is highly therapeutic. The hobbies in this exhibition include indoor and outdoor activities, such as bicycle
spinning, bowling, dancing, exercise, games, handwork, music and writing, fishing, holiday clubs, gardening, golf hiking and sports. There are over 20 million stroke
survivors worldwide and the positive messages conveyed by the Hobbies Exhibition provide hope and inspiration for stroke survivors, carers and also stroke
professionals.
The quotes from the exhibitors say it all: ‘Art is a wonderful therapy. It gives a stroke survivor a feeling of accomplishment’; ‘I paint to release myself, to be in the
present’; ‘Dancing makes me feel so good’; ‘It is a hobby that I can do just as well as normal people’; ‘I also need to have time for myself, to sit quietly and think and
maybe try to catch a fish’; ‘I am proud of my lavender fields because they give me energy to move on’ and ‘I enjoy life’.
On behalf of the World Stroke Organization, I want to applaud Sandra Levy, the other organizers and especially the contributors to this wonderful Hobbies Exhibition
and eBook, which I think is a wonderful enhancement of our World Stroke Congress in Hyderabad.
Stephen Davis
President World Stroke Organization
I am delighted to introduce the Hobbies Exhibition prepared by stroke survivors, for our World Stroke Congress in Hyderabad. The brain, our most special organ,
controls our motor and sensory functioning, thinking, memory, speech, vision, hearing, but perhaps most importantly, defines our individuality as human beings.
It is the source of our thoughts, memories, hopes, aspirations and creative processes. There is life after stroke and survivors may continue previous hobbies or take
on new interests. As stated eloquently by one of the exhibitors “this is my new reality, yet the person I was before the stroke still has a voice”; another that her hobby
helped to organise the “chaos” in her head.
Despite the loss of some brain functions, stroke survivors often have special insights into the stroke process and indeed into life itself. People who have had brain
injuries are often particularly creative and able to convey new insights into our perception of the stroke process. Stroke survivors are special people and I believe that
their insights and creative processes, as demonstrated in this exhibition, can teach us a great deal about stroke and indeed lead to a better understanding and new
advances in our field.
2 Stroke survivors demonstrate how their pursuit of hobbies is highly therapeutic. The hobbies in this exhibition include indoor and outdoor activities, such as bicycle
spinning, bowling, dancing, exercise, games, handwork, music and writing, fishing, holiday clubs, gardening, golf hiking and sports. There are over 20 million stroke
survivors worldwide and the positive messages conveyed by the Hobbies Exhibition provide hope and inspiration for stroke survivors, carers and also stroke
professionals.
The quotes from the exhibitors say it all: ‘Art is a wonderful therapy. It gives a stroke survivor a feeling of accomplishment’; ‘I paint to release myself, to be in the
present’; ‘Dancing makes me feel so good’; ‘It is a hobby that I can do just as well as normal people’; ‘I also need to have time for myself, to sit quietly and think and
maybe try to catch a fish’; ‘I am proud of my lavender fields because they give me energy to move on’ and ‘I enjoy life’.
On behalf of the World Stroke Organization, I want to applaud Sandra Levy, the other organizers and especially the contributors to this wonderful Hobbies Exhibition
and eBook, which I think is a wonderful enhancement of our World Stroke Congress in Hyderabad.
Stephen Davis
President World Stroke Organization
