THE daughter of a stroke victim has called for greater medical support to help patients and their families.

Lorne Bourke, 62, of London Road, Benfleet, suffered a stroke after having an operation to remove three brain aneurysms in May last year.

Her daughter Emma Bourke, 29, who lives with and helps care for her parents, says her mum has never been the same since suffering the stroke.

She said: “Mum was in intensive care in hospital as she was in a coma after having the operation at Addenbrooke's Hospital, in Cambridge.

“She had to go there because it was such as specialist procedure. She was then moved to a care home in Southend so she was nearer to us.

“Mum was not happy there so she discharged herself last August, as she said she didn’t feel comfortable there and she just wanted to be in her own home.

“I do think it is difficult for the NHS and health services as they are so pushed and stretched at the moment with cutbacks.

“I work at a local council so I do have a bit of knowledge about how these things work, so it is not about having a witch hunt but when it's your mum you want something done about wrong things."

Miss Bourke said her mum used to have physiotherapists who would visit their house for treatment.

But the family became frustrated that the visits were too infrequent, meaning Mrs Bourke's progress was too slow.

Miss Bourke said: "Mum wanted to push herself and was determined to learn faster than they would allow her to learn and she found it quite restrictive.

“There were other occasions that we as a family had to put our feet down. When mum was being assessed by opticians they told us that she would never see again.

“We asked for a second opinion and we found out that there were special lenses that could be added to special glasses so that mum could see again and she now can see."

Miss Bourke told the Echo that she thinks her mum is lucky because her family are pushy and supportive of her.

The family also had troubles getting psychologist appointments, and said it felt as thought they seemed to fobbing them off with excuses.

Miss Bourke added: “Mum was told to just use relaxation tapes, and we said she needed help to deal with her changing body and mind, not just a tape.

“There were even problems getting appointments where we would be told that we had forgotten to attend doctors, hospital and specialist appointments when we hadn’t forgotten at all.

“Mum is still paralysed down one side of her body and he cannot move one arm or leg. She has a walking aid which is a bit like a prosthetic leg which helps support her leg that does not work.”

Ever determined not to let the condition restrict her, Lorne took part in the Stroke Association’s Step out for Stroke event at Hylands Park, Chelmsford, earlier this month.

She was inspired to take part in the event after her stroke and two laps of Hylands Park at the charity event, taking just over an hour.