2-time extempo monarch Lady Africa suffers stroke

Leslie-Ann “Lady Africa” Bristow – who has won the extempo monarch twice – suffered a stroke last Thursday. Lady Africa won the title in 2012 and 2013 respectively and has been singing since 1989. She was a finalist in last year's extempo monarch finals.

She is currently at Eric Williams Medical Science Complex (EWMSC), Uriah Butler Highway, Champ Fleurs.

In a phone interview with Newsday, Lady Africa said the stroke happened last Thursday night but she began getting signs on Wednesday at work.

Asked what the signs were she said “the looseness in her jaw and problems with speaking clearly.”

The Arima resident said a friend picked her up on Thursday and took her to the Arima District Health Facility and she was then transferred by ambulance to EWMSC.

While, she said, the stroke was not mild she was not left incapacitated by it.

She said it is unlikely that she will be performing this year because “I need to avoid stress and performing can be very stressful.”

She hopes to be back performing next year.

She added, “I think a lot of times as women in taking care of family, house and work we tend to neglect ourselves and we see the signs and ignore it because we just don’t make time.”