{"id":4319,"date":"2025-08-04T06:13:15","date_gmt":"2025-08-04T13:13:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/?p=4319"},"modified":"2025-08-04T06:13:15","modified_gmt":"2025-08-04T13:13:15","slug":"newbury-teenager-summer-chard-suffers-paralysing-stroke-after-warning-symptoms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/?p=4319","title":{"rendered":"Newbury teenager Summer Chard suffers paralysing stroke after warning symptoms"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div id=\"main\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"hydrate-root sc-10wlkbs-0\" data-component=\"SupportNSCNative\" data-loading=\"lazy\" data-theme-name=\"base\">\n<aside class=\"sc-hez36s-0 dFpFuY\">\n<div class=\"sc-hez36s-1 dmMyEN\">\n<h3 data-testid=\"support-nsc-title\" class=\"sc-hez36s-2 fXvmgM\">Your support helps us to tell the story<\/h3>\n<div class=\"sc-hez36s-8 juUDRT\">\n<div class=\"sc-hez36s-13 cqPbFA\">\n<div class=\"sc-aja53j-0 rAFIl sc-hez36s-16 jZSKtc\">\n<div class=\"sc-aja53j-6 PdmgT\">\n<div data-testid=\"dropdown-with-gradient-collapsed-content-container\" class=\"sc-aja53j-5 hJPJVF\">\n<div>\n<div data-testid=\"dropdown-with-gradient-collapsed-content\" class=\"sc-aja53j-4 lcJUSj\">\n<div>\n<div data-testid=\"support-nsc-collapsed-content-tablet\" class=\"sc-hez36s-7 laZbyn\">\n<p class=\"sc-1uza6dc-0 cKWiEj\">From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it&#8217;s investigating the financials of Elon Musk&#8217;s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, &#8216;The A Word&#8217;, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-1uza6dc-0 cKWiEj\">At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-1uza6dc-0 cKWiEj\">The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.<\/p>\n<p><strong class=\"sc-1uza6dc-1 huxBsk\">Your support makes all the difference.<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><button class=\"sc-aja53j-1 dLkuvY sc-aja53j-7 eMEmGu\"><span data-testid=\"dropdown-with-gradient-dropdown-tablet\" class=\"sc-aja53j-3 dHXFkr\"><span data-action-type=\"Read more\" class=\"sc-aja53j-2 jrwZqm\">Read more<\/span><svg class=\"sc-eaj12q-0 hUgQwJ sc-culv3z-0 eifaJK sc-a5wy94-0 hyKPon\"><use href=\"#ee6613da15642019\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>A dedicated equestrian has credited her beloved horse with aiding her recovery after she suffered a stroke at the age of 13, leaving her partially paralysed. <\/p>\n<p>Summer Chard, who lives in Newbury, West Berkshire, with her mother Liane, father Lee, and 18-year-old brother Harry, experienced the life-altering event in March 2023.<\/p>\n<p>While resting ahead of a family wedding, Summer \u2013 who has a \u201cmassive passion for sports\u201d \u2013 said both of her arms \u201cstopped working\u201d, a feeling she compared to pins and needles.<\/p>\n<p>Summer recalled that she and her brother, Harry, were \u201calmost laughing\u201d about the lack of feeling in her arms.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI was thinking, \u2018I\u2019m sure I\u2019ll be fine\u2019, and my brother was playing around with my floppy wrist,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p>When she struggled to sit up in bed, her mother, Liane, promptly rushed her to Reading Hospital. <\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-awdjp1-2 cbpRGD sc-awdjp1-3 image align-center\">\n<figure class=\"sc-1cbdeug-0 cXcwgU\">\n<div data-gallery-length=\"4\" class=\"sc-awdjp1-0 hHhEAq\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.the-independent.com\/2025\/08\/03\/15\/57\/01K1QC840THQ629P0Q3HVGH6RQ.jpeg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.the-independent.com\/2025\/08\/03\/15\/57\/01K1QC840THQ629P0Q3HVGH6RQ.jpeg?quality=75&amp;width=320&amp;crop=3%3A2%2Csmart&amp;trim=482%2C0%2C798%2C0&amp;auto=webp 320w, https:\/\/static.the-independent.com\/2025\/08\/03\/15\/57\/01K1QC840THQ629P0Q3HVGH6RQ.jpeg?quality=75&amp;width=640&amp;crop=3%3A2%2Csmart&amp;trim=482%2C0%2C798%2C0&amp;auto=webp 640w\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Summer in hospital following the stroke\" class=\"sc-1mc30lb-0 ggpMaE inline-gallery-btn\"\/><\/p>\n<p><button class=\"sc-1uf4o3q-0 dkRtZs inline-gallery-btn\" id=\"trigger-autogallery-14427\"><span class=\"sc-1uf4o3q-1 hwVecx\">open image in gallery<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"sc-1cbdeug-1 sc-1cbdeug-3 bpFomM hgzWpY\">Summer in hospital following the stroke<span class=\"sc-1cbdeug-7 CXMrn\"> <!-- -->(<!-- -->Collect\/PA Real Life<!-- -->)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Initially, doctors treated her for spinal inflammation, but when her movement did not return after several days, a more serious condition was suspected.<\/p>\n<p>She was transferred to John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford and diagnosed with a stroke, which had left her paralysed from the neck down to her waist.<\/p>\n<p>Summer immediately began intensive physiotherapy to regain movement, as she was unable to wash, dress, brush her hair, or walk unaided. <\/p>\n<p>She entered &#8220;fight mode&#8221;, determined to progress in her recovery. <\/p>\n<p>She insisted on getting out of her hospital bed daily, occupying herself with colouring or playing with putty to improve her motor skills.<\/p>\n<p>The return home was hard, but after reuniting with her horse, Cindy, a 15-year-old palomino, Summer has made leaps and bounds in her recovery.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-awdjp1-2 cbpRGD sc-awdjp1-3 image align-center\">\n<figure class=\"sc-1cbdeug-0 cXcwgU\">\n<div data-gallery-length=\"4\" class=\"sc-awdjp1-0 kVQgGp\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.the-independent.com\/2025\/08\/03\/14\/04\/01K1QC7X5T7PCNXGMJXJAJYX0H.jpeg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.the-independent.com\/2025\/08\/03\/14\/04\/01K1QC7X5T7PCNXGMJXJAJYX0H.jpeg?quality=75&amp;width=320&amp;crop=3%3A2%2Csmart&amp;trim=0%2C0%2C1%2C0&amp;auto=webp 320w, https:\/\/static.the-independent.com\/2025\/08\/03\/14\/04\/01K1QC7X5T7PCNXGMJXJAJYX0H.jpeg?quality=75&amp;width=640&amp;crop=3%3A2%2Csmart&amp;trim=0%2C0%2C1%2C0&amp;auto=webp 640w\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Summer Chard with her horse, Cindy\" class=\"sc-1mc30lb-0 ggpMaE inline-gallery-btn\"\/><\/p>\n<p><button class=\"sc-1uf4o3q-0 dkRtZs inline-gallery-btn\" id=\"trigger-autogallery-14428\"><span class=\"sc-1uf4o3q-1 hwVecx\">open image in gallery<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"sc-1cbdeug-1 sc-1cbdeug-3 bpFomM hgzWpY\">Summer Chard with her horse, Cindy<span class=\"sc-1cbdeug-7 CXMrn\"> <!-- -->(<!-- -->Collect\/PA Real Life<!-- -->)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>She was soon back on Cindy, \u201cplodding\u201d around the stable yard. <\/p>\n<p>Summer, now 15, has since regained most of her mobility, although some issues persist with her hands, and is back at school on a reduced timetable.<\/p>\n<p>She credits the \u201cpatience\u201d of her horse for helping her get back on her feet.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen I\u2019m with Cindy, I forget about everything that\u2019s happened and I\u2019ve been able to get better at doing things because of her, like putting on her saddle and attaching her reins,\u201d Summer said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf it wasn\u2019t for her, I would have been in such a different mindset.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou can always find the positives in everything and I always think that everything happens for a reason. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ve grown up so much throughout this journey and this has kind of made me who I am now.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-awdjp1-2 cbpRGD sc-awdjp1-3 image align-center\">\n<figure class=\"sc-1cbdeug-0 cXcwgU\">\n<div data-gallery-length=\"4\" class=\"sc-awdjp1-0 iucbZA\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.the-independent.com\/2025\/08\/03\/15\/10\/01K1QC8QS60JBRZECND7GTTHG0.jpeg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.the-independent.com\/2025\/08\/03\/15\/10\/01K1QC8QS60JBRZECND7GTTHG0.jpeg?quality=75&amp;width=320&amp;trim=0%2C0%2C0%2C0&amp;auto=webp 320w, https:\/\/static.the-independent.com\/2025\/08\/03\/15\/10\/01K1QC8QS60JBRZECND7GTTHG0.jpeg?quality=75&amp;width=640&amp;trim=0%2C0%2C0%2C0&amp;auto=webp 640w\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Summer had to learn to walk again following the stroke\" class=\"sc-1mc30lb-0 ggpMaE inline-gallery-btn\"\/><\/p>\n<p><button class=\"sc-1uf4o3q-0 dkRtZs inline-gallery-btn\" id=\"trigger-autogallery-14429\"><span class=\"sc-1uf4o3q-1 hwVecx\">open image in gallery<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"sc-1cbdeug-1 sc-1cbdeug-3 bpFomM hgzWpY\">Summer had to learn to walk again following the stroke<span class=\"sc-1cbdeug-7 CXMrn\"> <!-- -->(<!-- -->Collect\/PA Real Life<!-- -->)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Several hundred children are diagnosed with a stroke every year in the UK, according to the Stroke Association.<\/p>\n<p>However, Liane said she \u201cdid not really believe it\u201d when they got the diagnosis.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI thought, \u2018she\u2019s 13, old people have strokes\u2019 \u2013 I\u2019d never heard of children having them.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>Watching her daughter get back on her horse was a \u201cscary\u201d moment for Liane. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cSummer said \u2018I trust her\u2019, but I\u2019ve seen them when they ride, they go very fast,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cShe still couldn\u2019t really use her arms but we lifted Summer on and Cindy just plodded along, it was amazing to see.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-awdjp1-2 cbpRGD sc-awdjp1-3 image align-center\">\n<figure class=\"sc-1cbdeug-0 cXcwgU\">\n<div data-gallery-length=\"4\" class=\"sc-awdjp1-0 iucbZA\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.the-independent.com\/2025\/08\/03\/15\/24\/01K1QC8SKF4PB6E4T72E7A79MD.jpeg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.the-independent.com\/2025\/08\/03\/15\/24\/01K1QC8SKF4PB6E4T72E7A79MD.jpeg?quality=75&amp;width=320&amp;trim=351%2C167%2C58%2C4&amp;auto=webp 320w, https:\/\/static.the-independent.com\/2025\/08\/03\/15\/24\/01K1QC8SKF4PB6E4T72E7A79MD.jpeg?quality=75&amp;width=640&amp;trim=351%2C167%2C58%2C4&amp;auto=webp 640w\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Summer is now riding again and wants to open her own riding school one day\" class=\"sc-1mc30lb-0 ggpMaE inline-gallery-btn\"\/><\/p>\n<p><button class=\"sc-1uf4o3q-0 dkRtZs inline-gallery-btn\" id=\"trigger-autogallery-14430\"><span class=\"sc-1uf4o3q-1 hwVecx\">open image in gallery<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"sc-1cbdeug-1 sc-1cbdeug-3 bpFomM hgzWpY\">Summer is now riding again and wants to open her own riding school one day<span class=\"sc-1cbdeug-7 CXMrn\"> <!-- -->(<!-- -->Collect\/PA Real Life<!-- -->)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Completing tasks in the stables with Cindy, such as lifting her arms to put on her saddle and attaching the reins, has helped Summer in her progress. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cRiding now is absolutely fine, but there were days where it was really hard and I would just cry because I couldn\u2019t do it,\u201d Summer said. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy progress has gone so gradually but everyday I\u2019ve seen that I can do things again, I just do them in a different way.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI got so much stronger and it felt so good because I feel I can be independent again.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>In the future, Summer said she would \u201clove\u201d to open her own riding school to teach individuals with disabilities, injuries or mental health issues how to ride horses.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it&#8217;s investigating the financials of Elon Musk&#8217;s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, &#8216;The A Word&#8217;, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it. Your support makes all the difference. Read more A dedicated equestrian has credited her beloved horse with aiding her recovery after she suffered a stroke at the age of 13, leaving her partially paralysed. Summer Chard, who lives in Newbury, West Berkshire, with her mother Liane, father Lee, and 18-year-old brother Harry, experienced the life-altering event in March 2023. While resting ahead of a family wedding, Summer \u2013 who has a \u201cmassive passion for sports\u201d \u2013 said both of her arms \u201cstopped working\u201d, a feeling she compared to pins and needles. Summer recalled that she and her brother, Harry, were \u201calmost laughing\u201d about the lack of feeling in her arms. \u201cI was thinking, \u2018I\u2019m sure I\u2019ll be fine\u2019, and my brother was playing around with my floppy wrist,\u201d she said. When she struggled to sit up in bed, her mother, Liane, promptly rushed her to Reading Hospital. open image in gallery Summer in hospital following the stroke (Collect\/PA Real Life) Initially, doctors treated her for spinal inflammation, but when her movement did not return after several days, a more serious&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4320,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[2],"tags":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4319"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4319"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4319\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/4320"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4319"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4319"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4319"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}