Stroke patient speaks about inspirational recovery
27/8/2010
A pensioner has shared his remarkable story about how he beat locked-in syndrome after a stroke.
Graham Miles, 66, had a stroke which began at the brain stem, leaving his whole body paralysed except for his eyes.
Yet by tapping into his brain's "extra capacity" and focusing his willpower he managed to regain full mobility - an achievement that has sparked intense debate about the future of treatment for people with this condition.
Mr Miles' strength of will and determination was such that he amazed doctors by getting out of bed five months after he was paralysed.
"If you are totally focused, you've got sufficient drive, commitment and mental stamina, you can break down that barrier between the brain and the body that goes with total paralysis," he said.
The Stroke Association estimates that stroke is second only to heart disease as the most prevalent cause of death in developed countries.
