Cameron Bryer survives two strokes before their 21st birthday

Strokes don’t discriminate on age, and that’s something 22-year-old Cameron Bryer knows all too well. Here’s their story on surviving two life-threatening situations.

Stroke survivor Cameron Bryer 22 who now works with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra. Picture: Linda Higginson

When Cameron Bryer started feeling a bit off, the last thing on their mind was a stroke.

At just 17-years-old the school captain and musical fan had a health history of heart problems, but the stroke — occurring in the middle of an audition — took them completely by surprise.

“From the first symptom to nearly dying was 15 minutes,” says Mx Bryer, who has recently moved to Tasmania to work as the customer manager for the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra.

“I couldn’t feel anything on the right side of my body and I was explaining that to paramedics when I started to slur my speech.”

Stroke survivor Cameron Bryer. Picture: Linda Higginson

The stroke took months to recover from, and less than 13 months later, Mx Bryer had a second one, while at work in a bakery.

“I was having trouble using the tongs. I went to speak to a customer and I couldn’t get the words out. That’s when I knew I was having another one.”

11,000 survivors of stroke live in Tasmania but the myth persists that stroke only affects older Australians.

Stroke Foundation Chief Executive Officer Dr Lisa Murphy said “strokes don’t discriminate”.

“Strokes impact newborn babies, toddlers and schoolchildren, just like Cameron.”

Now 22, Bryer is loving their new life in Tasmania and says the slower pace of life and arty vibe have been hugely beneficial to their recovery.

Originally published as Cameron Bryer survives two strokes before their 21st birthday