About Me

I was a Human Factors Engineer working on large-scale rail projects (www.gesconsulting.co.nz) until my life changed forever in November 2020. I had a stroke. I got to hospital within an hour, had the blood clot retrieval procedure and walked out of the hospital 24 hours later. Because I could walk and talk I was seen as good to go. I had recovered to a degree but it was only over the following months that it became evident that my cognitive abilities were compromised. I struggled on with my work for another 16 months until I eventually had to give up.

Then I remembered two books by Norman Doidge “The Brain that Changes Itself” and “The Brain’s Way of Healing”. These books present the plastic characterisitics of the brain, how it can heal itself by recreating or reconnecting parts of itself through specific exercises and programmes. It is these books that introduced me to Fast ForWord, a series of exercises developed by neuroscientists and teachers to address delays in reading and related learning difficulties, including dyslexia, ADHD, and it has even shown to improve autism, and for those who have suffered a stroke or brain injury such as concussion. I completed the Fast ForWord and Clear Fluency programmes and have found an improvement in my cognitive processing – I can now read more easily, and think and write in a more structured, organised way.

Having experienced a stroke, the isolation and helplessness that followed I have decided to help others through the Fast ForWord programme. Although this programme was created to help children with reading and learning delays, it is not restricted to them, I am an example of that. It is applicable to any individual who has experienced a stroke and brain injury including concussion. I look forward to meeting you and helping put your life back together even if it is just restoring your joy of reading.