QEII Director Support Officer (DSO) Kelsey Hutchinson is living proof that small steps lead to big strides, after a remarkable health journey transformed her from stroke survivor to advocate.
It was June 2024 when, at just 22 years old, Kelsey underwent a routine heart catheter insertion procedure that went horribly wrong, resulting in a punctured subclavian artery.
“Because I was on blood thinners, they had to reverse the effects to stop my artery from bleeding out. That caused a 2.5cm blood clot in my brain, which led to a stroke,” Kelsey explained.
Kelsey’s medical team acted swiftly, and she was rushed to a new hospital where a specialist team successfully removed the clot just 90 minutes later.
Two days later Kelsey had a second, smaller stroke in hospital.
“I knew what was happening, but I couldn’t do anything about it. You feel like you’re out at sea with no help because you can’t do anything. I couldn't even lift my arms or speak.”
In the midst of a career change and a compounding health scare, Kelsey faced an entirely new reality on the road to recovery.
“I was really lucky because I could still walk and eat and swallow. The thing that was most affected was my speech. I did some physio and speech therapy for about five weeks and started my new job six weeks after the stroke,” she said.
Committed to giving back to the community that supported her through her worst days, Kelsey is taking advocacy into her stride by joining the Stride4Stroke walk throughout September.
“Recovery has been challenging but I’m incredibly grateful for the care I received and the support around me,” she said.
“The Stroke Foundation was very present for me after my stroke and kept in constant communication with me. That’s why I’m taking part in Stride4Stroke—to raise awareness, support others on their recovery journeys and help fund life-saving research and rehabilitation services. I’ve done a few fundraisers before, so it just made sense to give back to them and support the next person in the same position.
“Every step I take is for those who are healing, rebuilding, and finding strength after stroke.”
As she looks ahead to a new chapter in her career, Kelsey is grateful for the QEII community that helped her come to terms with life after stroke.
“It’s lucky that I work in a hospital, because people here get it. I don’t expect people to relate to me; it’s more about just listening and understanding,” she said.
“I’ve made a lot of great connections and built friendships with the people I work with, including the nurses and the Executive team. It’s a big community and I’ll be sad to leave that, but I've made lifelong friends who have my back, and those relationships have been really good for my recovery as well.”
The QEII community thanks Kelsey for sharing her story and wishes her all the best in her new role.
You can read more about Kelsey’s journey and donate to her fundraiser here.