10-08-2025
'I'm 20, strokes don't happen': signs that told Jayme's family something was wrong
It was a strange request at a tea shop that alerted 20-year-old Jayme Bertram's boyfriend that something was wrong and she was suffering a stroke.
"It was April this year," Ms Bertram, of Raymond Terrace, said.
"I'm very much an avid Tilly's (Matildas) fan, and we had just been to see them play in Newcastle.
"The next day, I slept all day, which isn't like me at all. Later, my partner and I went to Green Hills.
"We went to Chatime, and apparently I asked for a frozen coke... Chatime doesn't sell frozen cokes, so my partner was like, 'okay, something's wrong'."
Ms Bertram's mum also became worried by her daughter's text messages, and then was more alarmed when Jayme arrived home and her speech was slurred.
"My texting was bad," Ms Bertram said. "My speech was bad. My communication was bad. That's how my mum figured it out."
Her mum called triple-0, and the operator said it sounded like Jayme was having a stroke.
Paramedics arrived and took her to Maitland hospital. Ms Bertram said the hospital staff thought she may have been having a mental health episode.
"I don't remember any of this," Ms Bertram said.
"But my mum was there, and mum's very much a helicopter mother, which is both great and bad. She demanded an MRI."
Further tests revealed Ms Bertram has antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), an autoimmune disorder that can increase the risk of blood clots forming in arteries and veins.
She said it was a huge shock when she realised she had suffered a stroke.
"It was kind of scary, to be honest," Ms Bertram said. "I mean, I'm 20. I like to think I'm pretty healthy. A few broken bones, but nothing serious.
"I've had a few people say, 'oh, you're 20. You didn't have a stroke. Only old people have strokes', which sucks. It's hard."
Ms Bertram spent two weeks in a rehabilitation unit, and has since been recovering, but she is still impacted by the stroke.
"My memory is bad, and my speech is bad as well," she said.
"And stroke fatigue: stroke fatigue is a big one.
"But it's improving. I have my license back.
"Luckily, I have a good support system around me. My immediate family has been great.
"I mean, I could have been dead by now because of a stroke, which my mum doesn't like to think about."
Ms Bertram said, looking back, some of the early warning signs were headaches and fatigue.
"Strokes can happen to anyone at any age," she said. "I had a major mental breakdown. I was like, 'Oh, I'm 20. strokes don't happen', but they do."
Ms Bertram is speaking out as part of National Stroke Week, and her message has been echoed by Stroke Foundation CEO Lisa Murphy.
"As we saw with Jayme, stroke doesn't discriminate - it affects people of all ages, which is why it's important for all Australians to know the F.A.S.T. signs of stroke," Dr Murphy said.
"When a stroke strikes, it attacks up to 1.9 million brain cells per minute, so it is critical to receive emergency treatment as soon as possible.
"The first important step is recognising the signs of stroke. Knowing the signs can save a life."
The F.A.S.T. acronym highlights the three most common signs of stroke (face drooping, arm weakness, and speech difficulty) while emphasising the importance of time when it comes to recognising and treating a stroke.
It was a strange request at a tea shop that alerted 20-year-old Jayme Bertram's boyfriend that something was wrong and she was suffering a stroke.
"It was April this year," Ms Bertram, of Raymond Terrace, said.
"I'm very much an avid Tilly's (Matildas) fan, and we had just been to see them play in Newcastle.
"The next day, I slept all day, which isn't like me at all. Later, my partner and I went to Green Hills.
"We went to Chatime, and apparently I asked for a frozen coke... Chatime doesn't sell frozen cokes, so my partner was like, 'okay, something's wrong'."
Ms Bertram's mum also became worried by her daughter's text messages, and then was more alarmed when Jayme arrived home and her speech was slurred.
"My texting was bad," Ms Bertram said. "My speech was bad. My communication was bad. That's how my mum figured it out."
Her mum called triple-0, and the operator said it sounded like Jayme was having a stroke.
Paramedics arrived and took her to Maitland hospital. Ms Bertram said the hospital staff thought she may have been having a mental health episode.
"I don't remember any of this," Ms Bertram said.
"But my mum was there, and mum's very much a helicopter mother, which is both great and bad. She demanded an MRI."
Further tests revealed Ms Bertram has antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), an autoimmune disorder that can increase the risk of blood clots forming in arteries and veins.
She said it was a huge shock when she realised she had suffered a stroke.
"It was kind of scary, to be honest," Ms Bertram said. "I mean, I'm 20. I like to think I'm pretty healthy. A few broken bones, but nothing serious.
"I've had a few people say, 'oh, you're 20. You didn't have a stroke. Only old people have strokes', which sucks. It's hard."
Ms Bertram spent two weeks in a rehabilitation unit, and has since been recovering, but she is still impacted by the stroke.
"My memory is bad, and my speech is bad as well," she said.
"And stroke fatigue: stroke fatigue is a big one.
"But it's improving. I have my license back.
"Luckily, I have a good support system around me. My immediate family has been great.
"I mean, I could have been dead by now because of a stroke, which my mum doesn't like to think about."
Ms Bertram said, looking back, some of the early warning signs were headaches and fatigue.
"Strokes can happen to anyone at any age," she said. "I had a major mental breakdown. I was like, 'Oh, I'm 20. strokes don't happen', but they do."
Ms Bertram is speaking out as part of National Stroke Week, and her message has been echoed by Stroke Foundation CEO Lisa Murphy.
"As we saw with Jayme, stroke doesn't discriminate - it affects people of all ages, which is why it's important for all Australians to know the F.A.S.T. signs of stroke," Dr Murphy said.
"When a stroke strikes, it attacks up to 1.9 million brain cells per minute, so it is critical to receive emergency treatment as soon as possible.
"The first important step is recognising the signs of stroke. Knowing the signs can save a life."
The F.A.S.T. acronym highlights the three most common signs of stroke (face drooping, arm weakness, and speech difficulty) while emphasising the importance of time when it comes to recognising and treating a stroke.
It was a strange request at a tea shop that alerted 20-year-old Jayme Bertram's boyfriend that something was wrong and she was suffering a stroke.
"It was April this year," Ms Bertram, of Raymond Terrace, said.
"I'm very much an avid Tilly's (Matildas) fan, and we had just been to see them play in Newcastle.
"The next day, I slept all day, which isn't like me at all. Later, my partner and I went to Green Hills.
"We went to Chatime, and apparently I asked for a frozen coke... Chatime doesn't sell frozen cokes, so my partner was like, 'okay, something's wrong'."
Ms Bertram's mum also became worried by her daughter's text messages, and then was more alarmed when Jayme arrived home and her speech was slurred.
"My texting was bad," Ms Bertram said. "My speech was bad. My communication was bad. That's how my mum figured it out."
Her mum called triple-0, and the operator said it sounded like Jayme was having a stroke.
Paramedics arrived and took her to Maitland hospital. Ms Bertram said the hospital staff thought she may have been having a mental health episode.
"I don't remember any of this," Ms Bertram said.
"But my mum was there, and mum's very much a helicopter mother, which is both great and bad. She demanded an MRI."
Further tests revealed Ms Bertram has antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), an autoimmune disorder that can increase the risk of blood clots forming in arteries and veins.
She said it was a huge shock when she realised she had suffered a stroke.
"It was kind of scary, to be honest," Ms Bertram said. "I mean, I'm 20. I like to think I'm pretty healthy. A few broken bones, but nothing serious.
"I've had a few people say, 'oh, you're 20. You didn't have a stroke. Only old people have strokes', which sucks. It's hard."
Ms Bertram spent two weeks in a rehabilitation unit, and has since been recovering, but she is still impacted by the stroke.
"My memory is bad, and my speech is bad as well," she said.
"And stroke fatigue: stroke fatigue is a big one.
"But it's improving. I have my license back.
"Luckily, I have a good support system around me. My immediate family has been great.
"I mean, I could have been dead by now because of a stroke, which my mum doesn't like to think about."
Ms Bertram said, looking back, some of the early warning signs were headaches and fatigue.
"Strokes can happen to anyone at any age," she said. "I had a major mental breakdown. I was like, 'Oh, I'm 20. strokes don't happen', but they do."
Ms Bertram is speaking out as part of National Stroke Week, and her message has been echoed by Stroke Foundation CEO Lisa Murphy.
"As we saw with Jayme, stroke doesn't discriminate - it affects people of all ages, which is why it's important for all Australians to know the F.A.S.T. signs of stroke," Dr Murphy said.
"When a stroke strikes, it attacks up to 1.9 million brain cells per minute, so it is critical to receive emergency treatment as soon as possible.
"The first important step is recognising the signs of stroke. Knowing the signs can save a life."
The F.A.S.T. acronym highlights the three most common signs of stroke (face drooping, arm weakness, and speech difficulty) while emphasising the importance of time when it comes to recognising and treating a stroke.
It was a strange request at a tea shop that alerted 20-year-old Jayme Bertram's boyfriend that something was wrong and she was suffering a stroke.
"It was April this year," Ms Bertram, of Raymond Terrace, said.
"I'm very much an avid Tilly's (Matildas) fan, and we had just been to see them play in Newcastle.
"The next day, I slept all day, which isn't like me at all. Later, my partner and I went to Green Hills.
"We went to Chatime, and apparently I asked for a frozen coke... Chatime doesn't sell frozen cokes, so my partner was like, 'okay, something's wrong'."
Ms Bertram's mum also became worried by her daughter's text messages, and then was more alarmed when Jayme arrived home and her speech was slurred.
"My texting was bad," Ms Bertram said. "My speech was bad. My communication was bad. That's how my mum figured it out."
Her mum called triple-0, and the operator said it sounded like Jayme was having a stroke.
Paramedics arrived and took her to Maitland hospital. Ms Bertram said the hospital staff thought she may have been having a mental health episode.
"I don't remember any of this," Ms Bertram said.
"But my mum was there, and mum's very much a helicopter mother, which is both great and bad. She demanded an MRI."
Further tests revealed Ms Bertram has antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), an autoimmune disorder that can increase the risk of blood clots forming in arteries and veins.
She said it was a huge shock when she realised she had suffered a stroke.
"It was kind of scary, to be honest," Ms Bertram said. "I mean, I'm 20. I like to think I'm pretty healthy. A few broken bones, but nothing serious.
"I've had a few people say, 'oh, you're 20. You didn't have a stroke. Only old people have strokes', which sucks. It's hard."
Ms Bertram spent two weeks in a rehabilitation unit, and has since been recovering, but she is still impacted by the stroke.
"My memory is bad, and my speech is bad as well," she said.
"And stroke fatigue: stroke fatigue is a big one.
"But it's improving. I have my license back.
"Luckily, I have a good support system around me. My immediate family has been great.
"I mean, I could have been dead by now because of a stroke, which my mum doesn't like to think about."
Ms Bertram said, looking back, some of the early warning signs were headaches and fatigue.
"Strokes can happen to anyone at any age," she said. "I had a major mental breakdown. I was like, 'Oh, I'm 20. strokes don't happen', but they do."
Ms Bertram is speaking out as part of National Stroke Week, and her message has been echoed by Stroke Foundation CEO Lisa Murphy.
"As we saw with Jayme, stroke doesn't discriminate - it affects people of all ages, which is why it's important for all Australians to know the F.A.S.T. signs of stroke," Dr Murphy said.
"When a stroke strikes, it attacks up to 1.9 million brain cells per minute, so it is critical to receive emergency treatment as soon as possible.
"The first important step is recognising the signs of stroke. Knowing the signs can save a life."
The F.A.S.T. acronym highlights the three most common signs of stroke (face drooping, arm weakness, and speech difficulty) while emphasising the importance of time when it comes to recognising and treating a stroke.
