Mum Regains Speech After Stroke But Has A Russian Accent

A mum who thought she would never walk or talk again after suffering a stroke, has fought her way back to full health but says it left her with a Russian accent.

Rose Griffiths, 69, was working at Asda when she collapsed in 2014, lost all movement in her right side and couldn't read, write, or speak.

But perhaps most bizarrely, she told the Liverpool Echo how it also took away her Scouse accent - which she says was 'very frustrating'.

The Liverpudlian said: "I always thought I would be like this, but knew I wanted to get better... When my speech came back, at first I had a Russian accent although I was born in Liverpool City Centre."

Since then however, it has changed from Russian to Eastern European and finally German.

The 69-year-old said: "I love to chat with people but after my stroke, people didn't want to talk to me because they thought I wouldn't understand.

"I felt so lonely."

But despite the hard times, Rose never gave up hope and five years on from the incident which robbed her of her speech and movement, she has joined the Stroke Association which supports people who have suffered from a stroke.

And she says she has finally come to terms with the fact that she may never have her Scouse accent back.

Rose Griffiths/Stroke Association

"As long as I am able to speak again, I don't care what accent I have.

"My daughters were marvellous and never gave up on me, they helped me to get to where I am now," says Rose.

She now volunteers with her local branch of the charity and helps other people who have been through the same thing.

She added: "Now I talk to everyone and people are patient with me because they understand I have had a stroke," the 69-year-old said.

"It's shown me you can go as far as you want; you just have to be determined."

Earlier this year the American Heart Foundation claimed there was a link between vaping and an increased risk of suffering a stroke.

One in 20 adults in the US is reported to vape, and according to the research carried out by the American Heart Association, those who use e-cigarettes are 71 percent more likely to have a stroke,

This latest piece of research, which surveyed 400,000 people, shows a link between using e-cigarettes and blood clots forming in the body, it is claimed.

Topics: Liverpool, UK News, Interesting, Health

Dominic Smithers

Dominic graduated from the University of Leeds with a degree in French and History. Like you, Dom has often questioned how much use a second language has been. Well, after stints working at the Manchester Evening News, the Accrington Observer and the Macclesfield Express, along with never setting foot in France, he realised the answer is surprisingly little. But I guess, c'est la vie. Contact us at [email protected]

@SmithersDom