Leeds woman who suffered devastating stroke seeks miracle stem cell treatment cure abroad

Ruth Haslam was 23 years old and about to be promoted in her pub job when her and partner Tom Whittaker decided to move in together towards the end of 2013. He said Ruth was a “vivacious” young woman and the loved-up couple were “inseparable” at the time.

Then on January 2, their lives were changed irrevocably when Ruth suffered a brain stem stroke caused by a blood clot in her Basilar Artery. Tom said: “Ruth wasn’t feeling well and hadn't been for a few days. I told her to have a lie down and get some rest when I heard Ruth shouting for me from the bedroom. I found her vomiting in the bathroom, sweating profusely from a fever and clearly very ill.”

After putting her to bed to try and rest, Tom heard gurgling noises and ran into the room to find the “horrific” sight of Ruth lying on the bed, gasping for air, her eyes rolled back in her head and her fists clenched under her chin.

After Ruth was rushed to hospital and diagnosed by doctors, she was immediately taken into surgery. Due to Tom's quick action and the availability of a surgeon with expertise, Ruth became one of only five per cent of people who survive these strokes. However, the life she enjoyed and the future she was working towards had been cruelly taken from her.

Ruth was left with ‘locked-in syndrome’, meaning that she couldn’t communicate properly, eat or chew her food and was confined to a wheelchair. With the support of Tom, who still lives with Ruth and looks after her as a full-time carer to this day, she has worked constantly to defy the odds. She can now eat, drink and chew and has even managed to whisper again.

Tom said the road hasn’t been an easy one though, saying: “A lot of the time I have been running on fumes. It’s been a massive character building exercise. We have had to fight for everything she’s got around her.”

Tom and Ruth, now aged 39 and 32 and living in Tingley, have been fundraising to help them get by over the years. They are now looking to raise enough money so that Ruth can receive stem cell treatment privately abroad.

The treatment was brought to the couple’s attention by one of Ruth’s carers Karina Sheard, who said: “Stem Cell Treatment is a form of regenerative therapy designed to repair damaged cells within the body. Ruth will never be the person she was before but it's possible she will regain movement, walk again, regain her speech and live at least a semblance of a normal life, something we all took for granted before meeting her.”

Tom said: “We’ve got to be a positive and this could have a massive impact. It’s like giving an engine a new start.”

Visit the Raise The Roof For Ruth Facebook page to follow updates about Ruth’s progress and upcoming fundraisers or head to their GoFundMe page to make a donation.