Laura Pike

Laura Pike, a financial adviser with St. James’s Place partner practice Alan Rutherford Wealth Management, in Aberdeen, had a stroke at the age of 31, while 38 weeks pregnant and relatively newly married.

Ms Pike, who previously worked in musical theatre and as a teacher before training to become a financial adviser, said: “It had a massive impact on absolutely everything at the time.”

She continued: “It certainly badly affected the relationship with my then husband because of the impact financially and emotionally.

“Sadly, we only had life insurance and no critical illness cover, which really hit our finances. I was very lucky, as I made such an amazing recovery and fortunately my daughter, Hannah, was unharmed and just perfect when she arrived. It did mean a huge amount of hard work relearning to walk and look after myself and the baby - not easy with a new-born.

“Luckily it never affected my speech, which was a bonus. Sadly, not least because of the financial pressure, it ultimately caused a lot of problems for my relationship with my husband and the marriage eventually broke down some years later.”

In an unconventional approach, Ms Pike will have a stand at the Your Wedding Exhibition, P&J Live, in Cults, Aberdeen on 21 and 22 January 2023 to highlight the value of financial protection, including critical illness cover.

She added: “I am passionate that everyone knows the importance in protecting their lives. For their family, for their partners and for their futures.

“This is the perfect opportunity for those starting their journeys together to grab the opportunity not just to relish in the exciting Wedding Day decisions, but also to realise the importance that they are their greatest asset and protecting each other financially is just as important for their ‘Happily Ever After’.”