The Brain Came Back – Cecy Galvan on Five Years After Strok

The Brain Came Back – Cecy Galvan on Five Years After Strok

How do people find strength in their journey to sobriety and recovery from life-changing illness? This candid conversation on *Recovery After Stroke* follows PR professional and former globe-trotter Cece Galvan, five years on from collapsing at a client event and later experiencing two strokes during heart surgery. The chat is relaxed and honest, aimed squarely at stroke survivors, carers, and anyone living with long-term health changes. Instead of medical jargon, you’ll hear real talk about grief, frustration and small wins.

Cece shares how her right side was affected, her vocal cord paralysed, and her memory badly hit, leading her to say, “I just told my friends the other day that my brain is finally back.” It took five years to feel that shift. You’ll hear about the emotional cost of losing independence, a high-powered career and regular travel, while also grieving the deaths of both parents.

Cece talks openly about severe depression, days when she wanted to give up, and the waves of fatigue and dizziness that still shape her routine. Yet she also shows stubborn humour and determination: she’s practising speech exercises daily, working to walk again with a high-rise walker, and dreaming of travelling once she can truly remember the experience. Relationships are another big theme.

Cece describes how some friendships faded as her needs changed, while her sister and brother-in-law rebuilt their home and daily lives around supporting her. She’s clear that she came on the show simply to raise awareness because she couldn’t find real recovery stories when she went looking.

If you’re wondering whether progress can still happen years after a stroke, or you just need to feel less alone with your own slow, messy recovery, this conversation might be exactly what you need. What future would you dare to picture for yourself, even if it feels five years away?