A stroke survivor from Chingford has backed a campaign to raise awareness of the benefits of singing.
Peter Scott, 75, had a stroke in July 2022 which left him with the communication difficulty aphasia.
The grandfather-of-two, who sang in a church choir for eight years prior to his stroke, feared he would not be able to sing again.
Peter, a retired scientist, said: "I could speak a little, but not very well – I had great difficulty getting my words out.
"Singing was such a big part of my life, and I remember feeling so worried I’d never be able to sing again.
"It would have shattered me if I couldn’t sing again – the thought is unbearable."
Peter was discharged from hospital and continued his recovery back at home with his wife and daughter.
He said: "I hadn’t attempted to sing whilst recovering from the stroke; I think I was too frightened if I couldn’t.
"That’s until a friend from the church came round to our house and started singing to me.
"As she played the music and sang, I began to join in with my daughter next to me also singing.
"Tears rolled down my cheek as we held hands and sang, and something in my body and bones just shifted.
"I felt myself again – I could sing!
"At this point I could sing better than I could talk."
Peter has now been back at the choir for more than two years since his stroke.
He said: "For me, singing and music has some kind of healing power – and I believe singing helped my recovery immensely.
"A stroke can leave someone feeling very alone and down – it’s an awful condition that can knock you in so many ways.
"For me, singing built me back up and has not only helped with my speech therapy, but made me feel connected to life again."
Peter is now backing the Stroke Association’s latest campaign to raise awareness of the benefits of singing.
The charity has launched Sing4Stroke, a new fundraising initiative, where people can sing wherever they like to raise vital funds to support stroke survivors and their families.
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