Stroke Survivor becomes stroke researcher

Did anyone see the article in the QWeekend Magazine of the Courier Mail on Sat 11 June on pg 18 entitled Doctor Heal Yourself?

It is an article on our very own Lavinia Codd in Brisbane. She completed most of her undergrad degree post stroke, followed by Honours, and a PhD. She now works at Queensland Brain Institute researching neurogenesis, or ways for the brain to regenerate itself after stroke in the area responsible for memory and learning, the hippocampus. This is the area of the brain affected by Lavinia's stroke (fit and healthy and aged 31 yrs at the time of stroke). She now researches to promote recovery for other stroke survivors.

Young Stroke Survivors who train as a stroke researcher and apply both their professional and experiential expertise to improvements stroke recovery have insight and a valuable perspectives. And Lavinia is not the only one.

Don't let anyone plateau you, and if inclined to go back to uni and train up as a researcher, give it a go! You'll never know until you try. The Stroke Community can benefit from more Stroke Survivirs who become qualified researchers and contribute to stroke research.

Congratulations Lavinia, and Thankyou!