An appeal for help - Stroke victim support.

Two weeks ago, a friend and neighbour suffered a stroke at home. He is 68 and has retired here in France, and lives with his wife.

Neither he or his wife speak any French (despite having been in the country for 4 years). So when he had his stroke, he was collapsed on the woodpile in the barn, his wife couldn't phone 18 for les pompiers or 15 for SAMU because she didn't know of those numbers, and wouldn't have been able to describe the problem, or give directions if she had known them.

So she called round her English friends, most of whome were out, because this happened on Easter Sunday.

Fiona & I have been helping when required with translations and stuff.

I've been trying to find out if there are support groups for English stroke victims in France because, for example, a French speech therapist would not be of great help to an English speaker. So far, no luck. I've located the French equivalents and had a few discussions on their forums, but I havn't found anything yet.

I can't believe that he is the first English immigrant to have suffered a stroke and be treated in France. I want to contact others so I can put them in contact with each other so they can share their experiences and make the best choices.

If no such support group exists, then I reckon I'll have to form one.

So what I'm asking for is: do you know of any English people, living in France who have suffered a stroke or an aneurism?

The following are just a bunch of keywords to help anyone searching for the same thing to find this page and contact me.

Stroke, aneurism, apoplexie, AVC, accident vasculaire cérébral