Fundraiser launched for company stage manager following stroke

A fundraising campaign has been launched to support the recovery of Cheryl Firth, who fell ill while working as company stage manager on Cowbois at the Royal Court last month.

Writing on GoFundMe her girlfriend, actor Charlotte Jaconelli, said that Firth suffered two strokes on 3 February after finishing work. She was admitted to Charing Cross Hospital, where she was subsequently discharged “with no ongoing support”.

“The strokes caused damage to her Thalamus (the information relay centre of the brain) and the Cuneus (vision processing),” she adds. “This has left Cheryl with weakness down her right-hand side, vision loss in the right eye, loss of co-ordination, sensory defects in her face, as well as cognitive processing effects, and extreme fatigue.”

The campaign, to raise funds for both her immediate outgoings as well as medical and physio support, has so far raised over £4,500 of a £20,000 target.

Jaconelli adds: “We are very grateful to be members of Equity who have been fiercely supportive of Cheryl and I; and secondly, fortunate that we were both working for the RSC at the time, allowing us to reside in Stratford-Upon-Avon whilst Cheryl recovers, alongside unmatched kindness and care from both organisations.”