A grandmother who woke up from a stroke with a Russian accent has finally learned to speak fluent English again, by singing.

When Rose Griffiths, 72, collapsed at her task after suffering a stroke in August 2014, she was shocked and devastated to wake upward and observe she couldn't speak.

Doctors warned the mum of 2 and her daughters, Lisa, fifty, and Kellie, 48, that she would never walk or talk again.

A quondam typist, the news devastated Rose, who had previously tackled a daily crossword with ease and loved English at school.

Determined to bear witness doctors wrong, the grandmother of two from Liverpool, Merseyside put every effort into pedagogy herself to read, write and speak once more.

But when the words finally came to her she was shocked to hear she spoke with a Russian emphasis instead of her usual soft Scouse twang.

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Rose developed a condition called Foreign Accent Syndrome after her stroke (

Epitome:

CHRIS NEILL/Bohemian PHOTOGRAPHY LIMITED)

Frustrated by this and her disability to say whatever she wanted, Rose started to feel isolated and was left in a night identify.

Rose told The Mirror : "I opened my mouth to try to speak only zip came out.

"It was terrible, it's the near horrible feeling trying to speak and not being able to.

"When I finally started talking, the consultant told me I was speaking with a Russian accent.

"People were telling me I sounded Russian, Eastern European or German but I couldn't hear it because to me I was only speaking normally.

When she woke upwards, she couldn't speak at all (

Image:

CHRIS NEILL/Bohemian PHOTOGRAPHY LIMITED)

"I want to talk the fashion I always did, because that'due south who I am, it's very frustrating.

'One admirer was talking to me and he said I sounded Eastern European so he asked me 'where practise you come up from?'

"I told him 'from here' and walked abroad.

"I felt so bellyaching because it doesn't matter if I sound Russian or anything else because I'yard not."

Four weeks afterwards her stroke, as Rose continued to struggle speaking fluent English, a doctor suggested she try to sing instead.

She initially dismissed the idea, but subsequently giving it a go she was stunned to hear her voice projection clearly and beautifully a full judgement or lyric with ease.

She said: "When I sang for the first fourth dimension, it felt marvellous.

"I felt like I was finally regaining some power back over my phonation.

"I can't speak fluently merely I tin can sing a full vocal perfectly.

"When I go to choir they talk as much equally I sing.

"My daughters come to sentry me perform and it makes them very emotional, they are proud of me."

Now Rose sings every calendar week with The Encephalon Clemency' s choir.

But at present Rose has found her voice again cheers to the Brain Charity choir

Starting as a volunteer at the charity five years agone, it has become a safe haven for Rose to speak with other people with a brain injury or condition who can relate to her own experience.

Today she as well works in the cafe, which is often the starting time identify someone visiting the Liverpool-based hub may come to, after their own experience with a life-changing brain injury or event.

She said: "I want to help people experience better and know that things practise become better.

" The Encephalon Clemency has been like sky for me, and then when people come up here and tell me they can't speak I tell them, 'why don't you sing?'

"People say 'oh I can't sing' just it doesn't matter what you sound like, it'southward most using your voice."

In the terminal iv weeks, Rose has been able to make more progress than she ever has in the previous seven years, thanks to a new speech and language therapist working with the charity.

Kellyann Lea is a new addition to the organisation alongside a brand new 'neurogym' thanks to an anonymous £50,000 donation from a tardily erstwhile service-user.

Rose is also a volunteer in The Brain Charity cafe (

Image:

CHRIS NEILL/MAVERICK PHOTOGRAPHY LIMITED)

Tui Benjamin-Thorp, Head of Communications and Fundraising at The Brain Charity said: "When I first met Rose, considering of the pandemic, she found it much more than difficult because she hadn't been talking.

"If you don't utilize it, there's a danger you can lose it.

"I think what is really frustrating for people with aphasia is that you can still see the sentences fully formed in your head merely information technology'due south the connexion between your brain and your mouth getting it out which can be afflicted.

"A lot of people if they take had a brain condition which affects their spoken language or advice they might non want to leave the business firm, become to the shops or annihilation where they have to talk.

"We oft take beingness able to talk for granted simply it tin really bear on what you tin can do day to day which is why we effort to make The Brain Charity a really safe welcoming infinite for everyone."

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