Maria’s story: from brain aneurysm survivor to inspiring volunteer
- HBA Support
- Aug 27
- 4 min read
Updated: Sep 5
Maria doesn’t remember the night her brain aneurysm ruptured. What she knows has been pieced together from her husband, her family and her medical team.
She had driven herself home from work, parked on the drive and slumped at the wheel. Her husband managed to get her inside and she told him she felt sick. Maria was helped upstairs, then suddenly screamed, clutched her head and collapsed. By the time he reached her, she was unconscious on the floor. He called 999 immediately.
The ambulance arrived within minutes and took her first to Oldham Hospital, before she was blue-lighted to Salford Royal. Doctors explained to her family that the bleed was so severe — a grade four haemorrhage — that they did not expect her to survive. At first, surgery was ruled out, but the team decided to operate and successfully clipped the aneurysm.
Her family were told that even if she survived, she would likely be left severely disabled. Today, just over 18 months on, Maria has defied every expectation. She is back at work as a quantity surveyor, driving again, and enjoying time with her grandchildren. Hers is a story of resilience and hope, against all the odds.
Setbacks and recovery
Maria has no memory of intensive care and only hazy recollections of her early rehabilitation. “My family said I looked blank, that I came out with rubbish” she says. “I don’t remember it, but they said it was frightening.”
Physiotherapists at the Floyd Unit Neurorehabilitation Centre in Rochdale noticed she was not progressing and suspected fluid on the brain. Scans confirmed it, and a shunt was fitted. “It was like I woke up again,” Maria recalls. “I felt like I’d been asleep. My family couldn’t believe the difference.” She believes determination also shaped her recovery. Staff told her they had never seen anyone recover quite like she had.
“I made myself get up and walk, even when it was hard. I joined in with everything I could and pushed myself a little bit each day,” she says. “For me, recovery is about mindset. You’ve got to keep going, keep believing you can do more, and not give up.”
Giving back and sharing hope
Grateful for the care she received, Maria now spends time volunteering at the Floyd Unit. She chats with patients, encourages them to join activities and reassures them by sharing her own journey.
“When new patients come in and see me walking, driving, back at work, it gives them hope,” she says. “I want them to know recovery is possible.”
She also organised a project to transform the unit’s garden. With donations from her employer and help from friends and family, the garden was repainted, landscaped and furnished with new seating. “That garden means a lot to me,” she says. “It’s somewhere patients and families can sit and feel normal for a while. Giving back like that feels like part of my recovery too.”
A family history of brain bleeds
For Maria, her aneurysm was not a bolt from the blue. Her mother had died from a brain haemorrhage, and a cousin on her father’s side also passed away after a rupture.
“When I went to my neurologist and said it must be hereditary, they told me no,” Maria says. “But I just knew it was. And of course, what I’ve found out since has shown me it runs in families. My mum passed from a brain bleed, my cousin did too, and then my experience. I believe screening could save lives, and if I’d been screened earlier maybe this could have been prevented.”
The experience prompted Maria to encourage her children and brothers to seek scans. “Two of my brothers have come back clear, one is still waiting. My daughter had hers and it came back OK. They were worried about the scan, but I said it’s better to face a short time of fear in an MRI than go through what I did.”
Gaps in knowledge
Maria has become aware that even among clinicians, understanding can be limited. “My consultant didn’t know about the genetic clinic,” she says. “There are gaps out there — GPs and even specialists don’t always know what support or information to give. That’s why it’s so important to raise awareness and push for change.”
She believes charities like HBA Support play a vital role in filling those gaps. “When it happened to me, my family were in such a dark place,” she says. “Organisations like HBA Support give people hope, connection and knowledge. That’s why I want to support them — because nobody should have to go through this without help.”
Living and thriving
During follow-up scans, doctors also discovered that Maria has another aneurysm. It is currently being monitored, and she has chosen not to let it overshadow her life. “Yes, I’ve got another aneurysm, but I don’t let it stop me,” she says. “I’m living my life, I’m dancing, I’m volunteering, I’m working. I was saved for a reason, and that reason is to give hope to other people.”
Maria’s story shows that even in the face of fear and uncertainty, recovery is possible — and with hope, determination and the right support, life after a brain aneurysm can be full of purpose. “I went from doctors saying I wouldn’t make it, to living a life I love,” Maria says. “That’s why I share my story — because if it gives even one other person the hope to keep going, then it’s all been worth it.”
Many thanks to Maria for sharing her amazing story with us!
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Resources and support
If you have any health concerns related to the topics in this article, please speak to your GP or a clinical professional.
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