2The first part of this unique book was written by Jody Mardula over a number of years following a sudden, life-threatening stroke. At the time, Jody was Director of the Centre for Mindfulness, Research and Practice at Bangor University, UK. The stroke - along with a second two years later and a subsequent diagnosis of vascular dementia - affected her psychologically and physically, and over time impacted her neurological functioning. Mindfulness and Stroke describes Jody's personal experience of stroke, and how she has adapted short mindfulness practices to come to terms with these life-changing events and to manage the impact on herself, her colleagues, and her family.

Written chronologically in the form of a journey, the book begins just before Jody's first stroke and ends close to the present day. Each of the seven sections contains short chapters with mindfulness approaches and practices woven in. The practices are supported by downloadable audio files. Jody's text is enhanced by neuropsychology expert Frances Vaughan, whose 'Neuro Notes' comment on and explain the events being described in each section of Jody's personal writing from a scientific perspective. Frances is also the author of Part Two of the book - ten chapters looking at brain injury and its impact on areas of life such as attention, memory, planning, self-awareness and identity.