Mum, 29, warns ‘you’re never too young’ for stroke

Jess Tierney, from Runcorn, collapsed at work at the age of 29. Paramedics initially thought she was having a panic attack or Bell’s Palsy. But scans showed a blockage in her brain and she underwent surgery. She said she felt lucky to be alive and now wants to raise awareness.

Ms Tierney underwent a thrombectomy, where blood clots are surgically removed from the artery. She said she had none of the traditional risk factors for stroke as she was a healthy weight, stayed fit and did not smoke. She added: “You’re never too young to have a stroke. The Walton Centre became the first facility in the north-west of England to offer thrombectomies to stroke patients 24/7 in October 2021.

It has since carried out almost 400 procedures. People over the age of 55 are more likely to have a stroke, although one in five occur in younger people.