Dr Kate Allatt

Dr Kate Allatt was a super fit, fell runner and devoted mum of three when she had a devastating stroke at the age of 39. Just four days before her stroke, Dr Kate appeared on BBC radio to talk about a charity climb she was set to do up Kilimanjaro. When she suffered her stroke and went on to experience Locked In Syndrome, a chance call from the same radio producer meant that Dr Kate was able to transform her shattered life into one filled once again with meaning and purpose.

Now an incredible motivational and inspirational speaker, Dr Kate’s speeches focus on practical personal resilience, digital health and attracting and retaining Gen Z health professionals – The Achieving M.Y.T.H.

Dr Kate Allatt was born in Poynton in 1970. She has evaded death several times, including being originally booked on the doomed Lockerbie Pan Am flight at 18 in 1988.  She only postponed her flight a mere three weeks before the bombing took place.

Kate returned to study a Business Studies degree at Sheffield Hallam University in 1989 and pursued a digital marketing career, whilst juggling her very ‘hands-on’ role with her then young children India, Harvey and Woody. She was an obsessive 70 mile a week fell runner too.

However, tragedy struck at 39 years of age when Kate suffered a catastrophic brainstem stroke and was diagnosed with Locked In Syndrome (LIS) (As seen on ITV This Morning, BBC Breakfast, The One Show, Women’s Hour, Newsnight etc) after initially being misdiagnosed with a stress induced migraine. LIS is a horrific condition where you can think, feel, see and hear normally but are unable to move anything below your eyelids.

Astonishingly, later in that same year in 2010, Kate started writing her now Internationally published book ‘Running Free; Breaking out of Locked In Syndrome’ (2011). Her book has subsequently become a global stroke recovery manual, but also an inspirational non-fiction book for anyone who could do with a bit of inspiration.

Furthermore, Just three months after leaving hospital, Kate founded and managed her global digital charity, Fighting Strokes (2011-2016).  Kate was the recipient of the Extraordinary Woman title in 2011, was a VIP guest of the Deputy PM Nick Clegg MP at the London 2012 Olympic Opening Ceremony for her global LIS advocacy.

In 2013, she pioneered and co-wrote the ESCAPS feasibility research with Dr Joanna Fletcher-Smith at The University of Nottingham in 2013, and they were awarded £250,000 research funding, all initially from Kate’s single tweet!  In 2014, she was a guest at the Queen’s Garden Party again for her global advocacy and charity work with stroke survivors with Fighting Strokes. In 2017 Kate was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by Sheffield Hallam University for her altruism impact and reach. Kate likes to deliver wow-factor, authentic and very funny inspirational and motivational speeches. She stuns her audiences so much so that you struggle to hear a pin drop.

Her topics include resiliency, inclusivity, growth mindset, thriving, mental toughness and leadership storytelling.  She is a TEDx speaker ‘Voicing Inner Thoughts Matters’.  What Kate has achieved since 2010, goes way beyond her astonishing recovery, and proves undeniably that what we achieve in life is only made possible by hard work and resilience.

Her testimonials are exceptional and include one from Olympic champion Dame Kelly Holmes.

Her extensive clients have included Cunard, Travel Counsellors, BNP Paribas, Irwin Mitchells, The Garfield Weston Foundation, Sainsbury’s, the NHS Leadership, Ernst & Young and others.  You can see her in action on her Youtube Channel.