A recent study from King's College London reveals that stroke incidences are 131% higher in Black African and 100% higher in Black Caribbean populations compared to their white counterparts. For Tayler Laycy, a 24-year-old Black woman and mother of two, these statistics are not just numbers—they are her reality.
A Life-Changing Moment
Three months after giving birth to her second child, Tayler was at home alone with her baby when she experienced a stroke. On the phone with her best friend, Melanie, her speech suddenly became slurred and incoherent. Melanie, who had a relative who suffered a stroke years earlier, recognized the signs immediately. She contacted Tayler's mother, who arrived within six minutes, but the front door was locked. With no other option, Melanie called 999. Emergency services broke down the door to find Tayler unconscious.
Tayler woke up on the stroke ward at University College London Hospital on her 24th birthday. Doctors informed her that she had suffered a major stroke and had gone into cardiac arrest twice—once in the ambulance and again at the hospital. She was lucky to be alive.
Understanding the Cause
Doctors determined that the likely cause was a patent foramen ovale (PFO), a small hole in the heart that typically closes after birth but remained open in Tayler's case. This condition had likely caused her chest pains and irregular heartbeat for years, but it went undetected until after the stroke. A bubble echo study confirmed the PFO, and it was eventually repaired.
Recovery and Challenges
Tayler's recovery was not immediate. Three months after discharge, she lost her sense of taste, developed weakness on her left side, and struggled with fatigue and memory issues. Despite these challenges, she returned to work six months post-stroke—a decision she now considers premature. With the support of her family, Melanie, and the charity Different Strokes, which supports working-age stroke survivors, she gradually regained her strength.
Today, Tayler goes to the gym three times a week, walks on the treadmill, and has regained enough strength to take her children to amusement parks and gardens. She volunteers with Different Strokes' Black and Asian Stroke Survivors Project to raise awareness in her community.
Know the Signs: Act FAST
Strokes are on the rise in people under 65, with one in four strokes now affecting working-age adults. Tayler emphasizes the importance of knowing the signs: balance issues, blurred vision, facial drooping, arm weakness, and slurred speech. If you notice these signs, call 999 immediately.
Tayler's story underscores a critical message: Black and Asian people are twice as likely to suffer a stroke, often at a younger age. She urges everyone—especially doctors and the public—to be more stroke aware and to listen to patients' concerns. 'I'm only here today thanks to Mel's quick thinking,' she says. 'Without her, I could've been dead.'
