Now 25, she has used her experiences to help raise awareness of the symptoms of a stroke as well as fundraised for the National Stroke Foundation.

Due to her efforts, Ms Alcock was named as a finalist in the Fundraiser of the Year category of the 2014 Stroke Awards. 

Now, she is joining the National Stroke Foundation in calling for fellow Bombala and South Coast residents to nominate the people making a difference in their community as part of this year’s Stroke Awards.

“It was a huge honour to be named as a finalist, it validated all the hard work I have done and struggles I have been through since having my strokes,” she said. 

The first stroke struck in 2009 when Ms Alcock was only 19. 

“I was asleep when it happened, and I woke up not being able to speak or move the right side of my body,” she said. 

Two years later she was in Bega, waiting for her car to be serviced when the second stroke occurred. 

“I didn’t pick up on anything at first, I still had my movement, but my speech was gone and I was texting a friend and they couldn’t understand what I was texting,” she said. 

During the first attack, Ms Alcock said she had no idea she was having a stroke. 

“[When I got to hospital] the doctors thought I had overdosed on drugs, but I’ve never taken drugs in my life,” she said. 

It was initially thought she was suffering from a severe migraine and it was not until later that a neurologist suggested it could have been a stroke.

While in hospital, Ms Alcock remembers people visiting her, but she could not respond to them.

“In my mind I thought that what I was saying and my movements were normal, but that was not what everyone else was seeing and hearing,” she said.

“I was talking and talking but no one was responding, they were either crying or trying not to look at me.” 

Her speech and movement slowly came back to normal and she was released from hospital. 

She did not expect the second attack either, as she was on medication that should have prevented it. 

Understandably, waiting for a stroke to happen is “scary”.

“I always thought strokes were something that happened to old people,” Ms Alcock said.

“I just try and take each day at a time.

“I try not to think about it, I try to be positive and use my time to raise awareness of strokes.” 

Doctors have said the cause of Ms Alcock’s strokes was a rare condition where blood clots go straight to her brain, in addition to using the contraceptive pill, which increases the risk of strokes.

Ms Alcock’s improvement is hinging on an upcoming operation to try to close an arteriovenous malformation (AVM) in her chest – but she has had four such operations already, none of which have been successful. 

“If they can operate it should fix things, but it is looking like they won’t be able to operate so I will just have to stay medicated for the rest of my life,” she said.

“I kind of accepted it as soon as it happened; I guess it’s the people around me who haven’t.

“I think it’s harder for them than me.” 

Ms Alcock encouraged NSW residents to nominate the stroke champions in their community. 

To nominate for the 2015 Stroke Awards go to www.strokefoundation.com.au/what-we-do/national-stroke-foundation-awards, and nominations for the awards close on July 31.