Game of Thrones star Emilia Clarke, who suffered a devastating stroke eight years ago, is backing an NHS drive to improve stroke care for young people.

Emilia Clarke who plays Daenerys Targaryen, on the show said that she she put pressure on herself “to feel normal” after suffering from a stroke.

Clarke, who is an ambassador for the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), is supporting a programme to train more nurses to become specialists in neuro rehabilitation. The Royal College of Nursing Foundation will partner with SameYou to lead the rollout of a new education programme for nurses from 2020.

For those who don’t know, SameYou is a charity aimed at supporting young people with brain injuries and helping them access resources to aid recovery.

Clarke, said: “I have an incredibly personal experience with nurses. There’s currently a lack of eyes on brain injury recovery. “It’s the thing that brings people back to life. It’s the thing that gives people back their life. “With specialist nurses, I know people can get back to themselves. “Stroke is something you never expect to happen, especially not in your 20s and 30s, but it is remarkable how often it is happening to young people. “When you’re a young person experiencing it, the mental health aspects go unnoticed and that’s what I experienced. “You need to be treated as a fully-rounded person and not just a list of symptoms. “I was cared for by two specialist nurses, but I saw where the gaps were and where I had to help myself. “I want to give young people who’ve had a stroke the opportunity to have those nurses too – to be cared for as a unique special human who can be brought back to health.”

Clarke said she put pressure on herself after being ill “to feel normal”, but that “brought on anxiety and fatigue”. She added: “That strain exhausted me more than anything, forcing myself to feel okay. “If I can help a young person who was in the state I was in, I know they would be lifted and feel lighter in themselves. “The ability to feel open and vulnerable when you’re just making your mark, when you don’t want to seem vulnerable, is important. “My goal is that a young person can have somebody they can feel vulnerable and open with and that person can help and make them feel safe.” Deepa Korea, director of the Royal College of Nursing Foundation, said: “Nurses are real innovators who continue to push at the old boundaries. “When it launches, this programme will be the first its kind and will give nurses a chance to help young people get their life back on track after a stroke. “The programme focuses on improving the physical, mental and cognitive health and wellbeing of stroke patients and helping them throughout their voyage of recovery.”