Simone, who is married with three children, has been coming to the class for more than two years.
In 2020 she was working as a support worker when she got a headache.
“I’d never had one before,” she said.
“I think it took my balance a little bit and I must have passed out, that’s all I remember.”
Unbeknown to Simone she had the condition arteriovenous malformation, external (AVM) which had caused a brain haemorrhage.
She spent eight months in hospital where she had to learn to walk and talk again.
Today she lives with acquired ataxia which affects co-ordination, balance and speech.
She said she felt able to share both her good days and her bad days with the friends she has in class.
“It’s very comforting because they know what I’m on about,” she said.
Asked how life has changed since the haemorrhage, Simone’s answer is surprising.
“It might actually be better,” she said.
“I’m getting out more, I’m meeting so many more people, so I suppose I’m doing things that I would never dream of.”
