"I couldn't ask for more of a miracle"
Mattie Lacey-Davidson speaks to charity founder and father of woman
who survived a brain haemorrhage about their efforts to give back..
Read the original article in Asian Inspired Magazine. Also available in gallery below.
In January 2016 a 26-year-old from Harrow had an unexpected brain haemorrhage and after a “miracle” recovery she is planning a charity event to raise awareness and funds for brain injuries around the world.
Alisha Malhotra, now 27, is working with her father's charity One Kind Act to arrange the Step A-Head Charity Ball, taking place in January 2018, two years after she was hospitalised.
Her father, Shamit Malhotra, explains: “She was very critical and we didn't think she would survive, She was in hospital for five months, we didn't know if she would survive or how she would be. When she woke up she couldn't speak, read, write or move.
“She had to learn everything from the beginning and spent months in rehab, both physical and psychological. I couldn't ask for more of a miracle, I'm glad she's alive.
Despite a recovery her father lovingly hails a miracle, Alisha is unable to return to work as a teacher because she has aphasia.
It is a condition that affects the brain and leads to problems using language correctly. People with aphasia make mistakes with the words they use, sometimes using the wrong sounds in a word, choosing the wrong word, or putting words together incorrectly.
Considering that she had forgotten how to speak when she awoke from a four-week coma and had to learn every single word all over again, Alisha has come a long way.
Her father adds “We wanted to do something with brain injury because I know we are so lucky, the only reason she survived is because we live in this country. She had to be operated on immediately, and then the care that came, anywhere ’ I know we are so lucky, the only
reason she survived is because we live in this country else and she wouldn't be alive. many other countries just don't have the facilities.
“She has been an inspiration, she's fought so hard despite losing everything and she‘s come a long way, so we wanted to do something to help people around the world."
Her noteworthy efforts don't stop there, Unable to work she is currently looking for voluntary positions and hopes to be able to mentor others.
It is clear that she inherits her charitable attitude from her father, He founded the charity One Kind Act in January 2015. He explains why: “I have always tried to put money aside to help people, my father used to do that so I did it and I wanted to teach the same to my children."
Visit onekindact.org for charity and event details.
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