A STROKE survivor has transformed himself into a ‘human book’ to share his story.

Pieter Egriega, 55, from Bollington, lost the use of his right hand, arm and right leg after suffering a stroke in June last year.

Since then the musician and artist has chosen to talk about his life-changing experience to help himself and others.

Pieter has been involved in Stroke Stories, a human library and story-telling event at the John Rylands Library in Manchester.

Visitors were able to select a ‘book’, or stroke survivor, and talk to them to find out more about their personal story.

Pieter, a former guitarist for Mancunian band The Fall, said: “For some people, a stroke is an end.

“For me, it was an opportunity for reinvention, for accepting change and finding out what is possible thereafter. At Stroke Stories I’ll be sharing my experience and talking about how I sliced the enormity of my aspirations into realistic achievable steps.”

Pieter is one of 14 stroke victims working with performance poet Curtis Watts from creative organisation Writing on the Wall and the Stroke Association on the project.

Joyce Booth, from the Stroke Association, said: “During the event, we’re hoping to challenge people’s misconceptions about stroke and show people there is life after stroke. Our participants in the Stroke Stories project have gained a huge amount of confidence and developed new skills to help them share their stories. It’s given them a voice to share with the public. We hope to have lots of visitors to the library to hear their unique stories.”

Curtis Watt said: “Over the past few weeks we’ve helped encourage interactive, engaging conversation and enabled our group of stroke survivors and carers to talk about the impact of stroke in different ways. There’ll be some truly inspirational stories to be heard on the day of the event.”

Yvette Jeal, engagement manager at The John Rylands Library, added: “What excites us about Stroke Stories is the opportunity it creates for learning in an innovative and really interesting way. This project has the potential to help those who have had strokes explore meaning and those who listen to understand their stories. Books are about stories and human books bring those alive. Where better to do this than a library?”