I first met Maggie Whittum a couple months ago, thanks to the episode I did with the folks at The Slow Road to Better. We connected to record this episode and I enjoyed the chat.
Maggie has a nice deliberate way of speaking. You can hear the emotion in her voice as she talks.
Like Whitney last week, Maggie's story is a frightening reminder that even if you do everything right, stroke can happen to anyone at any age. That doesn't mean you should ignore risk factors. Just keep in mind that a healthy lifestyle only reduces risk of stroke. It doesn't eliminate it entirely, On the other hand, a healthy pre-stroke life helps make rehab easier.
At the time, stroke was the furthest thing from her mind. She was a healthy, athletic, driven non-smoking actor in the best physical condition of her life. After spending several years acting, producing, and directing [projects around the world she moved to the Washington, DC area to pursue a Master of Fine Arts program at George Washington University. That all changed when her stroke hit her at the end of her first semester.
Now, Maggie lives in Denver where she continues to work on her recovery, creates art projects to illustrate just what chronic pain is like, and acts on stage with the Phamaly Theater, a company focused on providing opportunities for actors with disabilities.
Now, Maggie is taking everything she's learned from her time as an actor, director, producer, writer, teacher, and stroke survivor to assemble a team and create The Great Now What, documentary exploring stroke, recovery, the healing power of art, and her journey to claim a powerful new identity.
Hack of the Week
The great thing about carrying a purse, messenger bag, backpack or other carrying device is that it's easier to carry stuff. You can just throw all your stuff in there and go.
With a little thought, however, the process can be much more efficient. Arrange items in the bag specifically for single-handed use instead of just tossing stuff in. Consider flaps that allow easy access to a bus pass, a caribiner for keys, or a designated pocket for a disabled parking placard. A little planning can make the day a little less stressful.
Links
| The Great Now What | |
| Crowd Funding | |
| The Great Now What on Facebook | |
| Maggie Whittum on Instagram | |
| Maggie Whittum on Twitter | |
| Maggie Whittum on IMDB | |
| Maggie Whittum RAISE Award Nomination | http://www.stroke.org/stroke-resources/raise-awareness-stroke/raise-awards |
| Fates and Furies on Amazon | https://www.amazon.com/Fates-Furies-Novel-Lauren-Groff/dp/1594634483 |
| The Crash Reel with Kevin Pearce | |
| The Crash Reel on Amazon Video | https://www.amazon.com/Crash-Reel-Kevin-Pearce/dp/B00HWL2BS4 |
| Phamaly Theater Company | |
| Cavernous Angioma | |
| Slow Road to Better on Strokecast |
Where do we go from here?
- Be sure to check out the film at TheGreatNowWhat.com. You can also find the crowdfunding campaign there if you would like to support the film.
- To find that page and all the links in today's episode, visit http://strokecast.com/maggie
- Share this episode with a friend, colleague, relative, theater person or independent film buff. Just tell them to visit http://strokecast.com/maggie
- Organize your purse or bag for one-handed access
- Don't get best…get better
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