A British woman who woke with a strong Chinese accent after suffering a stroke will live with the side effect for the rest of her life.

Sarah Colwill, from Plymouth in the UK, was rushed to hospital in 2010 after having a heart attack.

When she woke up, she no longer spoke in her Devon drawl but instead in an accent completely foreign to her - Chinese.





The 40-year-old was diagnosed with Foreign Accent Syndrome, in one of just 20 known cases worldwide.

Doctors have told her there is no cure for her condition.

“My neurologist has signed me off and said I will permanently be this way,” she Ms Colwill told SWNS.

"They’ve tried various treatments; they’ve tried everything, but nothing makes a difference."

Ms Colwill meets regularly with a speech therapist. Source: YouTube More

Ms Colwill has lost her home and job as a result of the stroke.

“When I think about how much my life has changed, it is devastating. Being told I would be like this forever was a heart-breaking thing to hear. It was a real bombshell,” she said.

“But I have got used to the accent now and I find most people don’t treat me any differently anymore.

“I am still the same person inside. Of course, people who did not know me before have met a totally different person - but I am still Sarah from Plymouth.”

In addition to speech problems, Ms Colwill also suffers from a range of side effects such as migraines and temporary paralysis.

Ms Colwill’s husband Patrick has also been diagnosed with a serious health condition, which is why the couple are having to sell their home.

“My husband has had to become my full-time carer and has been diagnosed with his own mental condition so neither of us are able to work,” she said.

“We are now looking to build an annexe at my mum’s house and live there.”

Her mother Jennifer Lane says it's been heartbreaking to watch.

“It has been physically and emotionally draining for all of us,” she told SWNS.

“There are so many on-going problems and so many things she can’t do.

“It is awful and very upsetting for the whole family.”



Morning news break – July 7