Portrait: Morena
I am a young stroke survivor from Brazil. As an architect and also a Makeup Artist, I have always loved anything that would allow me to express myself and impact others in a positive way.
A little bit about Morena
As a young woman, I was pretty active - hitting the gym and dance classes all week. My stroke occurred in 2018 when I was 29 years old. It could have been a terrible disaster, but it turned out to be the light I needed to find my true path.
Turning negative into positives
On April 26, 2018 I had an ischemic stroke in my left vertebral artery. Through recovery I created “De Repente AVC” – something like “Suddenly a Stroke”- a diary of my rehabilitation that was created with the intention to help me go through my recovery journey.
But in time, it became a project to help other survivors.
My support network
My family and friends were incredibly supportive. The professionals who took care of me were phenomenal too. However, it is social media that really helped me make contact with other survivors. For the first time, I felt like someone could really understand what I was going through. That was a crucial moment in my recovering process. I share my own experiences hoping to encourage others to keep going with a positive mindset. The fact is that we cannot change what happened, but we do have the power to change ourselves and the way we face every situation.
No regrets
Sometimes I miss the old me. That being said, if I could choose, I would never go back to who I was before. My stroke changed me in ways that I needed. I feel like I finally know what I’m here for – and now I have the courage to do it.
If I can help at least one person, I'm doing the right thing.