Peter Coghlan, a stroke and locked-in syndrome survivor who hiked the highest mountain in Wales last year, is now sharing his powerful rehabilitation recovery experience as a volunteer in the Stroke Unit at the Joondalup Health Campus, highlighted during National Stroke Week (3-9 August).
Emily Hamilton MLA visits the JHC Stroke Unit
Emily Hamilton MLA, Member for Joondalup, and acting JHC CEO Dr James Cafaro visited the dedicated Stroke Unit at JHC to meet with volunteers who support patients and their families.
In 2011, Peter suffered a catastrophic stroke when he was 33 years old. Locked-in syndrome left him fully conscious but unable to move or speak, trapped inside his own body and able to communicate only using his eyes. It was a long journey and took hours every day to relearn basic skills.
“I was honoured to be a part of the opening of the stroke ward back in 2019 with Emily Hamilton MLA, Member for Joondalup,” Peter said.
“When I walked into the ward as a volunteer, physiotherapist Tracy Beckwith remembered me from my Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital rehabilitation days. It was a great feeling to meet her again as ‘Pete 2.0’.
“I’m following my heart and heading towards rehabilitation assistance – after quadriplegia! I have achieved my Certificate III in Allied Health Assistance, and now I’m stronger than ever.
“I would like to be the first locked-in survivor in Australia to become an occupational therapy assistant. I know I can flip the script in rehabilitation therapy assistance.
“I can inspire patients by sharing my lived experience. A half hour with me in Ward C3 can help change their mindset, resulting in improved focus during therapy, because they can see it and believe it.”
Emily Hamilton MLA said, “Thank you to the amazing volunteers, like Pete, who dedicate their time to supporting others who are experiencing health challenges.
“I am proud to have advocated strongly for the Stroke Unit and know that it has helped so many patients over the years.”
Climbing the highest mountain in Wales
Peter, who has lived in Perth for 20 years, also wanted to share another recent achievement to inspire others to believe they can achieve what seems impossible. Born in Manchester and a British Army veteran in his youth, Peter said his UK mates invited him back to the UK last August to complete another challenge.
“My veteran brothers set the challenge – Yr Wyddfa mountain, historically known as Mount Snowdon, at 1,085 metres high,” Peter said.
“I’m sure I made history as the first locked-in syndrome quadriplegic stroke survivor to hike the highest mountain in Wales. I raised over £500 for fallen soldiers in the process.
“I’ve survived so much on my journey, and I am always looking for the next challenge. It has been long, difficult and frightening. From being fit and active, to being paralysed.”
Dr Blacker gave me hope
Peter said Professor David Blacker, former Perron Institute Medical Director and consultant neurologist, gave him hope to keep trying when he was first locked in.
“I had to learn how to communicate using an alphabet board with my eyes. From my first four words asking Dr Blacker in desperation, ‘Can you fix me?’”
“I can quite honestly say that man was God to me that day. He gave me the light in the darkness. Over the years we have been through so much. We walked 7km of the City to Surf course together in 2015 and then 15km for the John Hughes Big Walk a few years later.
“I shall never forget how powerful hope was to me back then, which is why giving hope and inspiration to others as a volunteer is so important to me now. To show others anything is possible if you don’t give up!
“I will be forever grateful to Perth’s health system and the care I received from the nurses, therapists, doctors and allied health professionals that inspired me.”
Current stroke research at the Perron Institute
Professor Erin Godecke, co-lead of the Stroke Research Centre at the Perron Institute, says Peter’s incredible journey reflects the Centre’s goal to enhance personalised recovery to improve functional outcomes and quality of life.
“We are working with stroke survivors, researchers and clinicians around Australia to better understand what influences stroke recovery and acknowledge recovery is lifelong and doesn’t end at the hospital door,” Professor Godecke said.
“This means identifying gaps including personal factors such as hope and motivation, together with stroke severity and level of independence, to see how they interact to influence recovery.”
Stroke Foundation facts and signs
For stroke patients, every minute matters. Up to 1.9 million brain cells can be lost each minute without treatment.
As we mark National Stroke Week, it’s a time to learn the common signs of stroke and to act F.A.S.T. – Face drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulty, and Time to call 000 immediately. Early recognition and treatment can save lives.
Long-term support for stroke from Emily Hamilton MLA
Joondalup MP Emily Hamilton has been a supporter of the local Northern Suburbs Stroke Support Group for many years and strongly advocated for the establishment of a dedicated unit at Joondalup Health Campus.
The Stroke Unit was formally opened by the former Health Minister, the Hon. Roger Cook MLA in 2019 and since then, northern suburbs residents have had access to specialist stroke care on their doorstep – enabled by specialist staff and equipment located within a dedicated unit.
A $307.9 million expansion of Joondalup Health Campus, funded by the State and Australian Governments began in 2021 and was recently completed, making JHC one of the largest health campuses in Australia.
This article includes content from a media statement issued by Emily Hamilton MLA, Member for Joondalup.
Group photo caption: L-R Dr James Carfaro (JHC Acting CEO), Emily Hamilton MLA, Tracy Beckwith (JHC Stroke Unit), Prof David Blacker (Perron Institute), JHC Stroke Unit clinical staff, and JHC volunteer Peter Coghlan in the JHC Stroke Unit.
Image credit: Chris Kershaw Joondalup Health Campus.