A British woman who woke up with a Chinese accent after suffering a stroke is devastated - after being told the side effect is permanent.

Sarah Colwill's strong Devon drawl disappeared overnight, in one of only 20 known cases of Foreign Accent Syndrome worldwide.

Medical staff say they have exhausted all options and, despite Sarah never visiting China, she has to accept her Far East voice is here to stay.

Sarah, 40, says her life has been made a living hell and she has lost her home, her job and her previous life as a result of her bizarre condition.

Experts say it is caused by a 'drawing out' or 'clipping' of the vowels that mimics an accent even though the patient has limited exposure to that country.

It was first identified during the Second World War when a Norwegian woman was hit by shrapnel during an air raid.

She suffered brain damage and developed a strong German accent, which led to her being ostracised by her community in 1941.

Sarah, of Plymouth, Devon, said: "My neurologist has signed me off and said I will permanently be this way.

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

"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.

"I try not to dwell on how bad things are and how much I have lost. I think how lucky I am to be able to still do what I do and try and find a positive in every day.

"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.

"It took me a while to come to terms with it - but it is what it is.

"I just have to get on with it. I don't think my accent causes too many difficulties now.

"Sometimes people cannot understand me, which is frustrating. But when my speech is really bad, I just don't speak.

"I cannot make my voice sound any different. It is what it is and I cannot change it.

"I had never been to China before and had a strong Plymouth accent."

The night that changed her life came after ten years of suffering from severe head pain, which caused stroke-like symptoms.

She then woke up after a series of attacks sounding like she was from China.

Sarah, who has two step-daughters, said: "It was horrible. But I have got used to the accent now and I find most people don't treat me any differently anymore.

"People ask me where I am from, but that doesn't bother me anymore.

"As soon as I explain that I have a medical condition, they feel sorry for me, but they shouldn't."

Sarah says she is trying to remain positive, but since first developing the condition five years ago her life has been turned upside down.

read full details here:[url] http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/british-woman-who-woke-up-6011752[/url]



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