Highland musician Tony Romaine’s incredible story inspires The Stroke Association’s national campaign promoting awareness of how music helps stroke survivors
A Highland musician’s determined recovery from the trauma of suffering a stroke is providing inspiration in a new national campaign.
The Stroke Association, backed by new research, is keen to promote the benefits music can have for stroke survivors.
Tony Romaine, now 50, spent five hours trapped on his sofa after suffering a stroke in 2022 and was left unable to move, speak or swallow.
Through determination, fuelled by his love of music, he “regained his life and his music”, teaching himself to play the guitar using only one hand and, subsequently, returning to recording and performing live.
WATCH TONY ROMAINE’S POWERFUL SONG ‘STANDING STONE’ ON HIS STROKE EXPERIENCES BELOW:
Extensive research evidence suggests music and song can enhance the lives of those who have suffered strokes.
Just a few of the facts and figures are as follows:
Almost two-thirds of stroke survivors (61%) said that music helped to improve their communication skills after their stroke, while over half (51%) said music helped their memory.
The same number (51%) said it improved their sense of hearing.
The charity surveyed 1,000 stroke survivors and found that a third of survivors (33%) lost the ability to speak after their stroke, while over a third (35%) could sing better than they could speak in the days, weeks and months following their stroke.
In fact, a quarter of people (26%) could sing or hum before they could talk at all.
The new research was released as May marks Stroke Awareness Month, with Balloch dad-of-four Tony’s story especially resonant.
Tony, a familiar face to many on the local live music scene, spent seven months in hospital recovering.
Despite no longer being able to play the guitar with both hands, he ‘single-handedly’ learned to play with one instead.
FIND OUT MORE ON TONY ROMAINE HERE
One of his songs, Standing Stone, reflects on his own stroke experience.
Tony said: “Music was the first thing I lost when I had my stroke, but it was the first thing I had to regain.
“Other than family, of course, music is everything to me.
“I’ve been doing it since I was 10 years old and playing live in front of people since I was 15. I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.
“I believe music is good for the brain and for the spirit. It doesn’t surprise me to hear that other stroke survivors say they benefit from singing.
“Perhaps it is the pathway the brain would rather take.
“While having a stroke is very traumatic, I am thankful to have my life back with music at the centre of it.”
In Scotland, around 10,000 people have a stroke every year and surviving a stroke is just the start of a long and gruelling recovery journey.
About a third of stroke survivors have aphasia - a language and communication disability which leaves people struggling to speak, read, write or understand the written and spoken word.
Research has shown that singing after stroke can enhance communication and spoken language for people with aphasia.
The Stroke Association’s survey found that over half of stroke survivors (54%) said that singing, listening to music or playing an instrument had a positive impact on their stroke recovery.
Two in five (40%) said music had a massive impact on their recovery.
From an emotional perspective, almost half (45%) of stroke survivors who said that singing helped their recovery, said that singing along to music after their stroke helped them to relax, while over a third (34%) said singing gave them hope as they could sing better than they could speak, and two in five (43%) said it made them feel positive again.
The charity also surveyed 2000 members of the general public and found that the UK population is unaware of the significant communication issues stroke survivors can face.
More than a quarter (28%) is unaware that communication difficulties are a common effect of stroke.
Beyond communication issues, people with aphasia often report that their wellbeing is negatively affected, including struggling with reduced confidence, anxiety, low mood and social isolation.
This month, the Stroke Association is encouraging people to raise their voice to help stroke survivors get the vital support they need after the devastating impact of a stroke.
The charity has launched Sing4Stroke, a new fundraising initiative, where people can sing wherever they like - at home, on a live stream, at the office, at school or organise their own event, to raise vital funds to support stroke survivors and their families.
John Watson, Stroke Association’s associate director for Scotland, said: “Tony’s story is a powerful example of the role music can play in in stroke recovery for people like him who experience communication difficulties.
“Because music and singing are processed in a different part of the brain to spoken language, some people with communication problems find that they can sing easily, even though speaking is difficult.
“Now, we need singers to show their support to stroke survivors and their families.
“If you’re part of a choir or singing group, why not help us raise awareness of stroke this May and sing your hearts out by taking part in Sing4Stroke.
“In doing so, you’ll help make a lasting difference to stroke survivors and their loved ones.”
Those interested can sign up here to Sing4Stroke at https://www.stroke.org.uk/singing
