Five-year-old Mae Leatherbarrow is defying the odds after suffering a stroke just over a week ago that left her unable to move the right side of her body.
The Hagley girl was born with a brain bleed, which has resulted in cerebral palsy and multiple surgeries throughout her life.
On Friday, March 13, her father Shaun realised Mae could no longer move her right arm or leg – the side of her body that had previously been less affected.
“It was pretty scary,” he told Pulse.
“To have the other side of her body impacted by this … what used to be her side that needed a lot of support is now currently her strongest side.”
Emergency scans confirmed Mae had suffered a stroke affecting the area of her brain responsible for personality and memory.
Doctors initially feared she might lose her ability to speak, swallow or even recognise her family.
“And the other thing I guess with the area that the stroke has affected is the part of the brain that makes you who you are,” Shaun said.
“So your personality and your memories and that sort of thing, which would be devastating, not just to lose function, but lose your personality and I guess the person that we’ve been in love with.”
Despite those fears, Mae has made encouraging progress.
Within days, she was talking with nurses and taking her first supported steps.
“At 1am she just turned to the nurse and started talking about her cousin,” Shaun said. “She was super proud of herself.”
The cause of the stroke remains unknown, leaving the family uncertain whether it could happen again.
Mae is undergoing extensive testing with neurology, neurosurgery and haematology teams at the Royal Hobart Hospital.
Shaun, a teacher at St Patrick’s College and his wife Danika are staying at Ronald McDonald House in Hobart with their sons Morrison, 10 and Archie, 8, while Mae recovers.
“The first six months post-stroke will be the most important for regaining her independence,” Shaun said.
Friends have launched a GoFundMe to help cover medical and living expenses while the family focuses on Mae’s recovery.
Shaun said the community support has been “incredible”.
“I guess it’s not until you’re in it yourself, you realise that you’re not alone,” he said
“You’re actually being supported by so many people.”
“And while it doesn’t mean that it’s easy because of that, it just makes it possible to get through each day and to focus on what’s important.”
To support the Leatherbarrow family, visit: gofundme.com/f/supporting-mae-on-her-long-road-to-recovery
