Kristina Ferreira is recovering from an Ischemic stroke suffered in February
An online fundraiser has been launched to help Carvoeiro’s Kristina Ferreira, 45, a beloved and talented hairdresser and mother of two who suffered an Ischemic stroke in February.
The stroke has left Kristina unable to speak and with the right side of her body paralysed.
Kristina had to be taken by helicopter from Portimão to Lisbon for emergency surgery to remove a blockage and later underwent a decompressive craniotomy to relieve pressure on her brain.
“All of this was totally unexpected and truly shocking for all of her family. However, Kristina showed her strength and survived,” her family wrote on a GoFundMe page which aims to raise €10,000 to cover treatment costs and give her the best possible recovery.
Kristina remained hospitalised in Lisbon for around a week until doctors could remove the ventilator she was on and she regained some level of consciousness. Her entire family, including her parents, sisters and two daughters – 17-year-old cancer survivor Mariana and 15-year-old Tamara stayed with her the entire time.
She has since been transferred back to the Algarve and is undergoing an intensive rehabilitation programme at Terras do Infante Hospital in Lagos.
Kristina is suffering from aphasia, which prevents her from communicating verbally or in writing and affects her ability to understand what is said to her or written.
While she is paralysed on the right side of her body, she retains a lot of mobility on the left side, her family tells us.
“On a more positive note, she loves to listen to music and listens to her favourite playlists. She also has an amazing ability to laugh at herself,” her family adds.
Kristina is being treated by a team of doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, speech therapists and hospital staff who are working their hardest to help her recovery.
“In the field of Neurology, you cannot predict the time or the extent of a recovery because it depends on the gravity of the damage, age and willpower, but we remain cautiously optimistic,” the family tells us.
The rehabilitation programme will last at least 90 days, although it will always depend on her progress.
What’s certain is that Kristina has a large group of people who are actively involved in helping her recovery.
The GoFundMe page launched last month has already raised over €9,500 of its €10,000 target, showing just how much of an impact Kristina has had on the local community of Carvoeiro.
“We were definitely surprised,” her family says.
“Some friends and family members had already shown an interest in contributing. The GoFundMe page helped a lot in this process. But when we shared it on social media is when it really gained momentum. We are very grateful for this wave of solidarity. It will definitely make a difference to Kristina and her two daughters.”
