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'Extremely lucky': How this selfie saved a young mum's life

A selfie snapped by Stephanie Farnan just as she prepared to leave the house for work ended up being a crucial factor in doctors being able to save her life.

Minutes after sending the photo to her brother, the 28-year-old suffered a stroke, and was discovered by her dad Frank who had been expecting her son Oscar to be dropped off.

After being rushed to hospital on August 23, doctors were informed of exactly when Stephanie was last conscious by her brother Stephen thanks to the selfie she sent.

This allowed them to establish a time frame of her morning and administer anti-clotting medication only safe to be given within a certain amount of time after a trauma.

Irish mum Steph Farnan's selfie, and right in hospital with her son Oscar.
Steph Farnan's selfie (left) was one factor that allowed doctors to save her life. Source: Facebook/Steph Farnan

The photo had been taken just 14 minutes before she was discovered by her dad.

In a post to Facebook a day after the life-changing event, the young mum from Wexford, a town in southeast Ireland, said she felt blessed to be a stroke survivor.

The brain bleed was believed to have been caused by a hole in Ms Farnan’s heart as well as a negative reaction to a contraceptive patch, according to her GoFundMe page.

She warned others to pay closer attention to their health, having ignored her poor vision in one eye for “a day or two” beforehand.

Steph Farnan pictured in selfies before suffering a stroke in Ireland. It was a selfie that saved her life.
Steph said she felt blessed to survive, and get back to life with her son, Oscar. Source: GoFundMe & Facebook/Steph Farnan

With heart surgery, and impaired vision and movement set to affect her near future, Ms Farnan said she felt lucky the outcome wasn’t far worse.

“I’m extremely lucky with just the vision in one eye being affected. I have a long road of recovery ahead of me but I am counting my blessings that I am here to fight them,” she wrote on Facebook.

“I am going to prove I deserved this second chance for me, my Oscar, and my family and friends.

“I am a stroke survivor. I am one in 10. I feel so blessed to be even able to write that.”

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