BEYOND
STILNESS

Stories after Stroke

Our mission is to empower stroke survivors to share their stories of wisdom, purpose, connection, and hope.

The Problem

Someone in the United States suffers a stroke every 40 seconds. Stroke is also a leading cause of serious long-term disability in this country. There are nearly 7 million people in the U.S. living with the effects of stroke (UTMB Health). Yet often, stroke recovery still feels isolating.

Our Approach

Beyond Stillness assists stroke survivors in crafting and sharing their recovery stories through the lens of wisdom, purpose, connection, and hope. We’ve found that in sharing our recovery stories, we both support and inspire listeners on their recovery journey.

Your Story

Sharing your stroke recovery story makes a difference. We believe that as part of the stroke community, you are more than supportive, you are inspirational.

“Not only are stories how we make meaning out of life events, they are how we connect with other people and form relationships.”

— Strong Story Lab

A Moment of Pause 
for Storytelling and Reflection

Each Beyond Stillness guest meets with Molly via Zoom once a week for four to six weeks to craft their story. Upon completion, they record their story and interview for publication on the Beyond Stillness: Stories After Stroke Podcast and Radio Show.

Episodes are posted weekly anywhere you listen to podcasts (Apple Podcasts, Audible, Spotify, etc) and air throughout the week on Stroke Warrior Radio.

In 2005, Molly Buccola. Beyond Stillness Founder and Host, suffered a stroke due to venous sinus thrombosis.  A clot the size of a whole pinky forced blood into both hemispheres of her brain. When she woke from the coma, her left side was paralyzed.  Molly’s family served as caregivers as she relearned to walk, eat, bathe, on and on.  Once she regained enough abilities to hide the effects, she tried to “move on” with her life.  Now she knows, stroke survivors never fully “move on.” They move beyond.

Molly found that stroke offers a powerful, life-changing, shift in perspective.  She founded Beyond Stillness to offer pause for storytelling and reflection.  Ultimately, Beyond Stillness is a welcoming environment that reveres the movement beyond stroke’s paralysis.  Still moments unite humanity and divinity.

In an interview, Molly shared, “I’m inspired by each and every stroke survivor I meet. I have found a stroke community and our conversations and connections feel purposeful. Listeners and guests have shared similar sentiments. Together we cultivate hope. Together we thrive beyond stillness.”

Testimonials

  • Sue

    Meeting Molly Buccola and being a small part of Beyond Stillness was a fantastic journey. Molly is the most supportive, encouraging, and joyful/grateful person. I looked forward to our weekly Zoom meetings as I told her of my stroke and health problems. She asked the right questions, always listening to my heart more than my words. Going through this process and revisiting my stroke all over again strengthened my confidence and purpose. Molly, you truly are an angel on earth. I can never thank you enough!

  • Ray

    It was so easy to share my story with Molly. Not only is Molly one of the nicest people I know, her deep and spiritual soul helps you not only share your post-stroke changes and challenges, but for me I discovered a deeper meaning to the word HEALING. I miss our chats.

  • Shirley

    Once I went within it just flowed out of me and with Molly’s kind encouragement and help with words, it has become a very deep personal story to me and totally my truth.

  • John

    If anyone is on the fence about doing it. I would encourage you. It will help you expunge any pent up frustrations. Molly doesn't bite. She will gently guide you through, never altering the spirit of what you want to say. And the audience is made up of either people who have lived your experience and can relate, or people who need to hear your experience. Don't be scared. You have been through much much much worse.

  • Greg

    Working with Molly from Beyond Stillness was rough but worth it. It was hard to go back through my early days of stroke recovery but Molly gave me a judgment free space to tell my truth. If you are ready to tell your stroke story but don't know how, contact Beyond Stillness. You will not regret it.

  • Anna

    I would highly recommend working with Molly on the Beyond Stillness podcast. The process that Molly takes you through to craft your story is gentle and accessible for all. As a stroke survivor herself, Molly completely gets what you're trying to say and what you want to get across. I loved the whole process of working on this and would recommend going on this podcast. Molly's warmth and kindness shines through in the amazing work she is doing on the podcast to shine a light on survivors and their stories.

  • Humphrey

    The process of building the story was both easier and harder than I expected. Easier because I suffered no writer's block. Being damned up for 10 years, what I wanted to say came flowing out easily, and fitting it into the allotted time, forced me to focus on what was the singular, most important aspect of my experience. Harder because going through the life changing events of the stroke, it is impossible to explain using words. Only someone who themselves has been on that road, can fill in where my words fail to capture. Harder also because I have one shot at telling the story accurately, and the weight of that was felt…

  • Humphrey Continued

    The weekly meetings with Molly were a way to take something raw, and get it to fit the format. She was a gentle editor. Always positive. Never dismissive (though at times she probably should have been :-)) By the time we reached a finished product, I was very happy with the final result. What had been left on the cutting room floor wasn't because it was invalid. It just wasn't useful for this moment and this time.

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  • Phipps

    Meeting Molly Buccola and being a small part of Beyond Stillness was a fantastic journey. Molly is the most supportive, encouraging, and joyful/grateful person. I looked forward to our weekly Zoom meetings as I told her of my stroke and health problems. She asked the right questions, always listening to my heart more than my words. Going through this process and revisiting my stroke all over again strengthened my confidence and purpose. Molly, you truly are an angel on earth. I can never thank you enough!

  • Kristi

    I’m so grateful for this opportunity. I think I’ve learned so much just from speaking with Molly and listening to prior podcasts. I wish I’d have known about this earlier in my recovery. I really would have benefitted from more realistic expectations, knowing I’m not alone in this and feeling reassured I’m not the first or only person to be struggling with recovery. I hope Beyond Stillness will please market this to recovery facilities. Such a great tool for patients from people who’ve been in and through the struggle legit!

Connect with Us

Would you like to share how a guest’s story impacted your own recovery? Are you interested in crafting your own stroke recovery story or nominating an inspirational stroke survivor in your life to do so? Or maybe you have questions or comments. We’d love to hear from you!