06/07/2025
Summer and her mother Liane Chard, share a beautiful bond that is truly heartwarming. Their story is enriched by the presence of a lovely palomino pony named Cindy, who has also been part of a remarkable journey of recovery alongside both her owner and the pony herself. This partnership is a testament to the deep connection they share, as each one supports and uplifts the other in their healing process. Ellie Brassey Veterinary Physiotherapist has been a part of Cindy rehabilitation and well-being and seeing Summer grow alongside is a relationship like no other. 🦄
As you are probably all aware we have our amazing summer who comes in on a Saturday and works! Summer isn’t your average Saturday girl… pls take time and read summer story. If anyone has any ideas on how we can help summer to raise awareness for child hood strokes or would even like to work with summer in someway pls contact me and I will pass your contact details to Lianne summers mum. 🫶
A spinal stroke paralysed her at 13 – but her horse helped her rewrite the greatest comeback
Summer is on a mission to raise awareness for childhood strokes — and to help other young people like her feel seen, supported, and understood. If you think you can help in any way, we would love to hear from you.
On March 17, 2023, just one day before her auntie’s wedding, 13-year-old Summer was eating breakfast when her life changed in an instant. With no warning, she suffered a spinal stroke, leaving her paralysed from the neck to the waist for four long weeks.
Faced with uncertainty and fear, Summer chose to fight. She refused to give in — becoming not just a spinal stroke survivor but a warrior, determined to reclaim her life. Today, she continues to live with the lasting effects of spinal cord damage and the reality of being a childhood stroke survivor.
Summer is now looking to bring together the equine community and her story — using the incredible bond between horse and rider to raise awareness, spark conversation, and make some real noise for childhood stroke survivors.
Together, we can help change the narrative — and ensure every child facing a stroke has hope, support, and a fighting chance.
As a family, we made the difficult decision to discharge Summer early from hospital. The therapy she so desperately needed simply wasn’t available. But Summer knew her greatest motivation was waiting for her at home — her beloved pony, Cindy.
After four weeks apart Summer knew Cindy needed her — and deep down, she needed Cindy just as much. Their connection was inseparable.
With Cindy by her side, Summer set out to create her own rehabilitation programme, one fuelled by love, purpose, and determination. This wasn’t just about recovery — this was the moment the real fight began.
At present, the UK does not have a dedicated national registry for childhood stroke. The Stroke Association has recognised this critical gap and is campaigning for a UK-wide database to raise awareness, speed up diagnosis, and improve treatment outcomes for young people affected by stroke and we want to be part of this fight for the UK to have a national registry for Childhood Strokes.
Spinal cord strokes are even rarer — they account for just 1.25% of all strokes . While precise UK childhood spinal stroke rates aren't widely published, this global percentage reflects their rarity across all age groups. At only 13 years old, Summer became part of that small statistic when she suffered a spinal stroke that changed her life forever.
For the past two years, we’ve fought tirelessly — searching for answers, exploring new treatments, and seeking therapies that could help Summer reclaim the life that was so suddenly taken from her.
But Summer isn’t just focused on her own recovery — she’s determined to change how people think about strokes, especially in young people. She wants to help create a stronger network of support, raise awareness, and ensure that no other child feels lost or forgotten in the fight for recovery.
Summer is now 15. She was a passionate gymnast and talented tumbler, she thrived in sport and found her true love in horse riding — especially with her beloved horse, Cindy. Despite everything she has endured over the past two years, Summer’s determination and unshakable positivity have never wavered. For her, the comeback is deeply personal.
We were told those first 12 months of rehabilitation are critical — yet vital community services were incomplete, delayed, or unavailable. For children like Summer, intensive rehabilitation simply isn’t guaranteed within the NHS or local authority systems.
But we refuse to believe her future is limited by timeframes or statistics. Summer’s fight isn’t over — and neither is ours ❤️🩹
