For actor Emilia Clarke, surviving two life-threatening brain haemorrhages changed her understanding of recovery and the support people need after a medical crisis.
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people → survive → crisis
In 2019, she founded the brain injury recovery charity SameYou with her mother, Jenny Clarke, to address gaps in rehabilitation and help survivors rebuild their lives.
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survivors → found → lives
According to SameYou's 2026 Impact Report, the charity has raised more than £3.8 million since its launch and helped over 1,200 survivors access NeuroRehabilitation Online (NROL).
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survivors → accord → Online
Its work has also received recognition through the NHS Excellence Awards 2026, highlighting how online rehabilitation can extend support beyond hospital discharge.
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rehabilitation → receive → discharge
How Clarke's experience led to SameYou
Clarke, known for playing Daenerys Targaryen in Game of Thrones, experienced two brain haemorrhages while working on the television series.
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Clarke → lead → series
Her recovery exposed her to the physical and emotional challenges that can continue long after a patient survives a medical emergency.
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patient → expose → emergency
The experience also drew attention to the difficulties survivors face when they leave hospital without sufficient rehabilitation or long-term support.
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they → draw → rehabilitation
Brain injuries can affect movement, communication, memory, mental health and a person's sense of identity, making recovery a process that extends beyond immediate medical treatment.
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that → affect → treatment
Clarke and her mother launched SameYou in 2019 to improve access to rehabilitation for people affected by brain injury and stroke.
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Clarke → launch → injury
The charity works with clinicians, researchers, healthcare providers and survivors to develop practical recovery solutions.
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charity → work → solutions
Rather than focusing exclusively on treatment immediately after an injury, SameYou aims to support people as they rebuild their lives, relationships and confidence.
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they → focus → lives
Its 2026 Impact Report identifies clinical rehabilitation, community support and educational resources as three central areas of its work.
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Report → identify → work
More than £3.8 million raised since 2019
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million → raise → 2019
SameYou's 2026 Impact Report records total fundraising of £3,812,226 since the charity was established.
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charity → record → 3,812,226
The report says this investment has supported four major research projects, postgraduate training in neurorehabilitation nursing and practical programmes designed to improve access to recovery services.
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investment → say → services
The charity also develops resources to help survivors understand their condition and manage challenges after leaving the hospital.
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survivors → develop → hospital
These include information on sleep, nutrition, cognitive changes and social difficulties, alongside services intended to help people navigate rehabilitation and return to employment.
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people → include → employment
SameYou says many survivors experience a sharp reduction in support after discharge, even though physical, psychological and social challenges can persist.
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challenges → say → discharge
Its work seeks to address this gap by combining clinical services with peer support, education and practical assistance.
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work → seek → support
The charity relies on donations rather than government funding, according to its report.
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charity → rely → report
Its model involves working with established healthcare and research organisations to test approaches that could eventually reach more people.
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that → involve → people
Online rehabilitation reaches more than 1,200 survivors
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rehabilitation → reach → survivors
One of SameYou's significant initiatives is NeuroRehabilitation Online, which provides group rehabilitation sessions through video calls.
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which → provide → calls
The programme allows NHS therapists to deliver physical, cognitive and other forms of support to participants in their own homes.
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therapists → allow → homes
The charity co-created and funded NROL with the UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology during the COVID-19 pandemic, when access to face-to-face rehabilitation was disrupted.
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access → co → rehabilitation
The initiative was subsequently expanded with NHS partners in Lancashire and South Cumbria.
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initiative → expand → Lancashire
SameYou's 2026 Impact Report states that more than 1,200 survivors have accessed NROL.
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survivors → state → NROL
The programme is intended to complement existing rehabilitation services, giving participants additional opportunities to practise skills, receive guidance and connect with others facing similar challenges.
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programme → intend → challenges
According to SameYou, the programme has expanded across NHS partner trusts and includes physical, talking and community groups led by therapy teams.
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programme → accord → teams
Online delivery can also reduce the need for patients to travel to hospital, an important consideration for people whose mobility or energy levels remain affected by a brain injury.
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levels → reduce → injury
NHS Excellence Award recognises the programme
In May 2026, SameYou announced that NROL had been named Regional Champion for Patient Involvement and Choice at the NHS Excellence Awards.
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NROL → recognise → Awards
The recognition highlighted the programme's approach to making rehabilitation more accessible and involving patients in their recovery.
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rehabilitation → highlight → recovery
The award also reflects collaboration among clinicians, researchers, NHS organisations and people with lived experience.
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award → reflect → experience
NROL was originally developed as a response to pandemic-related disruption, but it has since become an ongoing model for delivering additional rehabilitation outside traditional clinical settings.
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it → develop → settings
SameYou reports that the programme has supported hundreds of people affected by stroke, brain injury and other neurological conditions through its NHS partnerships.
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programme → report → partnerships
The charity's wider impact report also records 48 nurses enrolled in a postgraduate neurorehabilitation training programme.
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report → record → programme
Expanding support beyond hospital discharge
SameYou's work reflects a broader challenge in healthcare: surviving a brain injury is only the beginning of recovery for many patients.
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surviving → expand → patients
Rebuilding independence can require sustained physical therapy, emotional support, social connection and help returning to work.
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Rebuilding → rebuild → work
Through NROL, peer-support initiatives and educational resources, the charity is working to make these forms of assistance more accessible.
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forms → work → assistance
Its impact report outlines plans to extend rehabilitation provision and develop further support for survivors and their families.
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report → outline → survivors
…and 2 more, not listed.
The Aporia
