Hundreds gathered to raise awareness and support life after stroke in Singapore and Malaysia

WSO Stroke Support Organisations in Singapore and Malaysia led inspiring events to raise awareness and celebrate life after stroke. The events also raised the flag for the World Stroke Campaign virtual relay Asia route #DontBeTheOne

Stepping out for Stroke in Singapore

Singapore National Stroke Association (SNSA) held its fourth Stepping out for Stroke event on Saturday 12^th October. The event had over 800 registered participants including nearly 100 stroke survivors and carers.

Stepping out for Stroke is SNSA’s annual fundraising event, where it encourages participation from people affected by stroke, medical professionals, students and the wider community in whatever way they choose; walking, running, cycling, and in wheelchairs and pushchairs. The Mayor of Central Singapore CDC, Denise Phua was the guest of honour and talked passionately about the need to prevent avoidable strokes and to support life after stroke.

Aanandha Sharurajah, who had a stroke in 2012 and is a member of the SNSA Executive Committee said, 'Stepping out for Stroke was a really important day for me, as it was a day my whole family was involved in. We all wore our purple t-shirts, showing that we were standing for stroke survivors and greater awareness of this illness, and it was the largest number of people I've witnessed so far standing for stroke'. 

The event was an opportunity to mobilise the community to raise funds, increase awareness of stroke and engage in physical activity. The day also included the launch of the FAST Heroes 995 Programme in Singapore, which is a collaboration between SNSA, Boehinger Ingelheim’s Angels Initiative and the World Stroke Organization https://worldstrokeorganization.blogspot.com/2019/07/be-stroke-superhero-be-fast.html. The programme is a kindergarten-level education initiative aimed at equipping children with knowledge about what stroke looks like and what to do in an emergency.

The event also joined the World Stroke Campaign virtual relay Asia Route, getting behind the #DontBeTheOne 2019 Campaign theme.

Ng Wai May, President of SNSA said 'Our signature Stepping out for Stroke community event was held on 12^th October 2019.  The event was very successful with over 800 participants and we have raised over $60,000 so that we can offer free programmes for stroke survivors and caregivers'.

For more information about SNSA visit:

www.snsa.org.sg  | https://www.facebook.com/SNSA.SG

Stroke Games 2019 – paving the way for more champions

Stroke Games 2019 kicked off on Saturday 19^th October with a vibrant opening ceremony, with flags from Malaysia, the National Stroke Association of Malaysia (NASAM), World Stroke Organization #DontBeTheOne and the nine NASAM contingents from across Malaysia. The event was declared open by YABhg Tun Jeanne Abdullah, Patron of the Malaysian Paralympic Council. Before its arrival into the stadium, the Stroke Games torch was passed on by a relay of stroke champions who ran, walked or wheelchaired it along the way.

'How do you inspire someone who is down and out after a debilitating stroke?' asked Janet Yeo, Founder Chairperson of NASAM, in her opening speech.  'How do you inspire that person to climb mountains, to aim high and excel? To aspire to be a champion and to believe there is life after stroke?'

'When you are inside a stroke damaged body, believe me the last thing on your mind is sports or competitiveness,' said Yeo, a stroke survivor herself.  'We at NASAM want to reach out and mend such broken spirits and one of the ways is through sports. For a whole year we carefully crafted and designed sporting events and then transferred them into our daily rehab regime before our first Games in 2017.  Suddenly rehab was no longer a boring word. It was not a passive, repetitive routine'. 

Yeo added that the Stroke Games 2019 is bigger and will generate more champions who will inspire others to achieve greater recovery.  'The Games is NASAM’s contribution to the stroke community around the world. We wish that this fighting spirit of a stroke champion is ignited into every person affected by a stroke no matter where they are’. 

The Games involved more than 800 participants from NASAM’s nine clubs across Malaysia as well as volunteers from corporations, universities and hospitals. There were 25 events including: 50m and 300m walk/run; hand cycle; modified weight lifting and seated volleyball. The youngest athlete was Lee Yong Xian aged 16, who represented Kuantan in the 300m for men.  The oldest was Mariya Pillay aged 81, representing Malacca in hand cycle for women. 

NASAM Petaling Jaya and Malacca emerged as champions with a tie, with Perak finishing runner-up.

For more information about NASAM visit:

www.nasam.org | facebook.com/NationalStrokeAssociationMalaysia

New Philippine stroke support organisation makes public stroke awareness its priority #DontBeTheOne

Jacob Eagan Bright, founder of Stroke and Aneurysm Support Philippines, shares his experience of stroke and his motivation to create public awareness and support life after stroke.

Jacob Eagan Bright

What has inspired you to be involved in stroke support?

In 2018 I lost a brilliant colleague to stroke, his loss made me sad and also bewildered as to why this happened to him and his young family, who were left to grieve. Then in 2019 my grandmother woke up in middle of the night, trying to use the bathroom she dropped down, face and mouth instantly twisted, her left hand became stiff and cold and unmovable. Months later my comrade, a 48 year old retired army officer experienced a transient ischaemic attack (TIA), and then a burst aneurysm and a haemorrhagic stroke.

Seeing my friends and family touched by stroke and its devastating effects, I realized that anyone can be affected. Stroke is the second leading cause of death in the Philippines. I became motivated to create public awareness to prevent strokes and to work with stroke survivors as advocates.

What does stroke care look like in your country?

The Department of Health has now made alteplase, the clot-busting drug, available for free in 26 government hospitals nationwide. This effort is highly commendable, but there is no support for local patient care organizations carrying out awareness and education on prevention and recovery programs for survivors.

The public are interested in attending stroke education and awareness sessions but due to low income levels there is a lack of public fundraising.  

How did the project come about?

After many conversations, it became clear that many people affected by stroke were not previously aware of stroke risk factors, and that caregivers and families were totally ignorant of the symptoms and effects. So right there is was glaringly obvious that public education is desperately needed, especially on healthy lifestyles and coming to terms with life after stroke.

What have been some of the outcomes of the project?

After two months we are still in the pilot phase of our work, but it is amazing how receptive survivors and those wanting to prevent stroke are to full information and education on how to prevent a stroke and life after stroke. At the moment our sessions and outreach are well attended. People call to ask when next we are due for a speaking engagement, and many health professionals link up with us for outreach engagements. Our home visits to survivors seem to be very encouraging to them in believing there is a reason to live.

What has been the feedback from stroke survivors to the project?

Engaging survivors in public meetings has given them a sense of belonging and reason to live and to become active. Survivors are happy there is an organization that brings them together, where they can share their experiences, both challenges and successes, in their journey after stroke. The project also checks in with them and supports them to sustain healthy behavior that contributes to their recovery.

What has been the response from others – community, doctors, politicians?

The community has responded collaboratively to our project and engaged with our efforts and programs. Our contact number keeps ringing, but unfortunately the community expectation is that we can deal with all their requests – including supplying an ambulance if a member of the public has a suspected stroke.  Public doctors seem to be very happy with the program and are willing to participate in public events as speakers; this is something that we want to build on. Private doctors seem to be a little uncomfortable because we may be perceived as a competitor. We want to pursue building a relationship with them. 

What would you say to other people to make them take stroke prevention seriously?

You could be the next person hit by stroke. Don’t Be The One.

Steve Davis, a stroke survivor, climbing 42 steps as part of exercise for recovery activity

With hindsight Moyosore Ayah knows the importance of stroke awareness and prevention #DontBeTheOne

Moyosore Ayah, founder of new WSO stroke support organisation member, IDA Stroke Awareness Foundation in Nigeria, tells us about her commitment to stroke prevention and awareness

What has inspired you to be involved in stroke support?

Around spring 2010, my precious mother had a stroke, which not only came with its physical impediments but also emotional and mental. The physical impediments meant that she was paralyzed on the left side of her body along with speech impairments that affected her communication.

I always thought to myself in hindsight that if my sister and I were enlightened on the signs and symptoms of stroke, we could have taken preventive measures to avoid a stroke and coma after she complained of fatigue. This experience taught me a lot of basic and essential facts about stroke, which acted as a catalyst to inspire and motivate me to create and spread awareness and consciousness about stroke. Plus connecting with others to help ease the depression and isolation so common after a stroke. 

What does stroke support look like in your country? 

Stroke remains a huge problem in Nigeria and globally. There is not adequate support for stroke patients in Nigeria, for example in the biggest National Hospital only 3 hours a week is dedicated for stroke clinics to attend to the needs of stroke patients.

How did the project come about?

This project was born out of my emotions from the experience with my mum, which led to me having this insatiable passion to educate people on the risks, signs and symptoms of a stroke.

What have been some of the outcomes of the projects? 

I consider all IDA Stroke Awareness Foundation projects as successful; creating awareness about stroke, giving medical recovery accessories to those who need them during our outreach and organizing a stroke clinic in a rural community with minimal health care.

What has been the feedback from stroke survivors to the project?

The response and feedback from all our outreach has constantly reminded us of the reason why we embarked on this mission. The joy and satisfaction derived from this act of altruism cannot be quantified. The testimonies from stroke survivors and individuals who benefited from our outreach has been the fuel that drives us to continue this mission.

What has been the response from others – community, doctors, and politicians?

Doctors and medical professionals are willing and ready to help in any way they can and we always get volunteers. Volunteers have the passion and willingness to serve and we are elated to provide this platform with an opportunity to serve humanity. 

What would you say to other people to make them take stroke prevention seriously?

Stroke is a brain attack that can lead to disabilities and ultimately death. Please pay close attention to your health, always monitor your blood pressure if you have a history, heart disease, diabetics, go for medical check ups and always take your medications as directed. All the signs of stroke shouldn’t be taken lightly: face numbness, arm weakness and speech difficulty. If you consider someone may be having a stroke, call an emergency service if available or have someone call for you and get to the hospital immediately. Please do not wait for the next second. DON’T BE THE ONE.

World Stroke Campaign award a testament to life after stroke

Michael Uchunor, founder of the stroke support organisation Michael and Francisca Foundation in Nigeria, wins the 'Award for Individual Achievement' in recognition of his work in support of the World Stroke Day campaign 2018. 

I was 33 years old when I had my stroke in 2012. I used to drink a lot of alcohol and smoke cigarettes. I think I may have been hypertensive before the stroke occurred but I have no way of knowing since I had never checked my blood pressure before then.

I now want to identify stroke survivors so that we can advocate together for better stroke awareness and care for stroke survivors in Nigeria. Stroke advocacy and campaigning are important in order to educate the public about the symptoms of stroke and the importance of getting to the hospital quickly. It also raises awareness on profound and universal impact of stroke on individuals and families so that decision makers understand the importance of resourcing quality education, treatment and long term care and support for stroke survivors and care givers.

Stroke support organisations like Michael and Francisca Foundation still have to focus on grassroots outreach to raise awareness as many people in Nigeria do not have access to media campaigns. This outreach also gives us greater understanding of the lived experience of stroke that we can share with decision makers.

I get involved in World Stroke Day on 29^th October every year to underscore the serious nature and high rates of stroke, to raise awareness of the prevention and treatment of the condition and ensure better care for survivors.

When I had my stroke, there was nothing like a stroke support group near me that I could access, but I know that my recovery would have been easier if I had been connected with such a group. A group where I could meet other stroke survivors with similar effects; get to know and communicate with one another, share stories, challenges and inspiration, learn about promising treatment and new research. This gap gave birth to the Michael and Francisca Foundation which is a place where stroke survivors and their relatives connect with one another. We now have 128 members and still counting.

Receiving the Award for Individual Achievement from the World Stroke Campaign is testament to me and other stroke survivors that there can be life after stroke. I am thankful for my faith and to my family and friends who stood by me. This is just the beginning of my stroke campaigning in Nigeria.

New WSO stroke support organisation member prioritises stroke prevention in New Zealand

Stroke Central Region is a not-for-profit, member-based organisation that provides support services for stroke survivors and their families in the central region of New Zealand, including a stroke community and field officers that guide those affected by stroke through the journey to recovery.

2019 has been a busy year for Stroke Central Region. With the number of stroke patients rising, our field officers have been getting more than twice as many stroke referrals than in 2016. In New Zealand, around 9,000 people suffer a stroke each year and that number is expected to increase by 40 percent by 2028. Due to this expected increase, our focus for 2020 will include primary stroke prevention. Helping us to put an infrastructure in place for this is Professor Valery Feigin.

Professor Feigin has recently been appointed Honorary Clinical Director to our Board of Governors which is a big milestone for Stroke Central. He is the director of the National Institute for Stroke and Applied Neurosciences at Auckland University of Technology (AUT). He is also an executive committee member of the World Stroke Organisation (WSO), and a World Health Organisation expert on stroke. He is currently the most cited scientist in New Zealand with more than 650 publications, including 340 scientific articles. He will be a major asset to our stroke community and we are looking forward to working with him.

Another big milestone for our organisation in 2019 will be the coordination of the World Stroke Day Campaign for New Zealand on the 29^th October. We feel very honoured to lead the campaign for WSO within our country and are currently liaising with other likeminded companies to partner with for this special day. Part of this campaign for New Zealand will be the promotion of the Stroke Riskometer App, developed by Professor Valery Feigin together with AUT. The App tells users their risk of stroke within the next 5-10 years and how they are able to lower their stroke risk.

Stroke Central staff

Looking forward to 2020, apart from focusing on stroke prevention, our Stroke Awareness Week will take place in April and is another big opportunity for us to raise the awareness of stroke, and coordinate our big fundraising campaign for the year. This is a big opportunity for all our members and volunteers to help, within their communities, to spread their knowledge on stroke, share information and help with raising funds for our charity.

October 2019 News

Stroke Central Region's #DontBeTheOneNZ Stroke Prevention Campaign was successfully launched on 29th October 2019 with the help of Auckland University of Technology (AUT) and the World Stroke Organisation. To learn more about the year long campaign, the Stroke Riskometer App and how to prevent stroke, watch the full launch video or visit the #DontBeTheOneNZ website https://www.strokecentral.org.nz/dont-be-the-one/ 

For more information visit: https://www.strokecentral.org.nz/

Be a stroke superhero – Be FAST

Recognising the signs of stroke and getting fast access to treatment is vital in saving lives and improving outcomes for stroke survivors. Awareness of the FAST message is a core strand of World Stroke Campaign and of the WSO’s members around the world.  But one important audience for this message - and one which has not been traditionally included in awareness programs - is children. 

While the prevalence of stroke in children is much lower than in the adult population, with the global lifetime risk of stroke now standing at 1 in 4, equipping kids with basic knowledge about what stroke looks like and what to do in an emergency could prove life-saving.

This is why WSO has recently endorsed the FAST Heroes program and will be working to pilot and evaluate this kindergarten-level education initiative and help with localisation of resources and activities for communities around the world.  

The FAST Heroes program has created an animated character-based education program with a central character, Timmy, who becomes a FAST Hero by learning how to beat the Evil Clot and save the Grandheroes in his life (his grandparents). Resources for use in class are age appropriate and include learning materials such as short film animations, classroom activities and take-home materials to literally hit the message home. There are even ideas to help schools and communities raise funds to broaden participation and make the program more sustainable in the longer-term.

Michael Brainin, President of WSO said of the partnership, ‘We’re excited to pilot this program which we hope will not only convey life-saving information but will also help us to understand how to better work with children to support broader community awareness of stroke and FAST.’

Jan van der Merwe, Project Lead for the Angels Initiative in Europe which supports the FAST Heroes program commented.  “Since launching the Angels Initiative, we realized that there are two big issues that somehow need to be addressed. The first of which is that patients arrive too late for treatment. This can be due to misdiagnosis or not seeing the symptoms as serious enough to warrant going to a hospital. The second big issue is that too many patients go to and are then admitted to hospitals that are not “Stroke Ready”. Both of these mistakes very often result in much worse outcomes post stroke. To help solve one of these issues, the Angels Initiative supported The Department of Educational and Social Policy of the University of Macedonia to develop the FAST Hero program. 

Stroke steals lives, and through engaging children and their families we can do something to make sure that when stroke strikes we are as prepared as we can be. This could be the difference not only between life and death, but also between “life as we know it” and a life lived with permanent disablity.”

Pilot FAST Hero programs will be delivered in partnership with WSO members in a number of countries including Brazil, Singapore and South Africa. For more information about participating in the WSO FAST Heroes program, please contact campaigns@world-stroke.org

When it comes to Stroke - Don’t Be the One

World Stroke Day 2019 will focus on stroke risk and prevention

Sample poster with WSO member co-branding

The World Stroke Organization has announced the theme for World Stroke Day 2019. With a focus on stroke prevention, the ‘Don’t be the One’ campaign aims to mobilise members, partners and the wider stroke community to raise public awareness of our individual life time risk of stroke and to equip as many people as possible with potentially life-saving prevention information and tools.

The rationale for the campaign message is the recent WSO analysis of the Global Burden of Disease, which shows that globally the lifetime risk of stroke has risen and now stands at 1 in 4. Combined with the Interstroke findings that showed around 90% of strokes are linked to a small number of easily addressed risk factors, the potential impact of public understanding of stroke risk and prevention awareness is clear.

Speaking about the World Stroke Day campaign, World Stroke Organization Vice President and Campaign Committee co-Chair, Sheila Martins said ‘For me the 29^th October is always such an exciting day for the stroke community – it’s the one day of the year that we can come together globally and to make as many people as possible aware of stroke. This year our message When it comes to stroke, think prevention – Don’t be the one.’is relevant and essential to everyone and we look forward to seeing the stroke community taking up the campaign in countries around the world!’

Co-Chair Deidre De Silva and a leading awareness campaigner Singapore ‘Our team strived to deliver a campaign that will resonate with diverse populations around the world. Stroke is not prevented by hoping it will never happen to you. This campaign encourages everyone to be proactive by understanding their stroke risk and taking the steps to prevent stroke and its devastating consequences.'

World Stroke Day Campaign Resources

A campaign guide for members and the public will provide guidance on how to join the global prevention awareness effort. This will be available from the revamped World Stroke Day website. Members and partners will have access to campaign resources including the campaign video, gifs, editable posters, infographics, social media posts and translated prevention factsheets. 

Stroke Riskometer 

The Campaign team is also working in close partnership with the Stroke Riskometer team at Auckland University of Technology to promote the WSO endorsed Stroke Riskometer as a tool to understand individual stroke risk and to identify individual risk factors. Riskometer users will be encouraged to conduct their own risk assessment and to share the app on social media tagging four friends. If one person who is tagged downloads and uses the app, they will have free access to an app upgrade that will support them to take appropriate action to reduce their stroke risk. 

To find out more about how you can support the campaign please email campaign@world-stroke.org

Survivor Voices Heard Loud and Clear in Stroke Awareness Month

Sharing member highlights from Stroke Awareness Month 2019

In many countries May is traditionally the month to talk about all things stroke. Across the USA and Europe Stroke Awareness Month has been marked on the calendar of stroke organizations and stakeholders as a key opportunity to raise public awareness and start conversations about stroke. 

Famous or not speaking publicly about stroke, while crucial to raising awareness and reducing the stigma of stroke, can be extremely daunting. But the decision to  ‘step up to the plate’ by several high-profile stroke survivors in May 2019 has given stroke perhaps higher visibility than ever and served as a vital support to those of us who have important stories and information to share.

The decisions of Michael Johnson, once the world’s fastest man, talking about his long journey to recovery after stroke and of Game of Thrones actress Emilia Clarke to share her story have been incredibly helpful in reaching the wider public and showing that with the right care, treatment and rehabilitation stroke is treatable and beatable. The death of movie director John Singleton at the age of 51, while just one of many less well known people who have lost their lives to stroke recently, did much to highlight the tragic impact of stroke, the fact that many strokes happen to younger people.

In the UK, the Stroke Association the country’s first ever TV stroke advertisement was aired in May as part of a partnership campaign with the UK’s Channel 4 network. The 60 second piece which is part of a wider media campaign, uses the voices and faces of stroke survivors to describe the moment that their stroke hit, the need for support with recovery and is working to ‘change the face’ of stroke survivors.

Elsewhere in Europe, members of SAFE kept the WSO #UpAgainAfterStroke campaign flag flying with a month-long focus on stroke rehabilitation and long-term support across the region. From politicians to family members a multitude of voices shared their perspectives on the urgent need to develop better and more equitable access to rehabilitation and care. The translation and dissemination of the European Burden of Stroke report gave policy weight to the awareness campaign offering a valuable advocacy tool for stroke organizations in the region. 

Outside Europe, but equally focused on stroke survivor experience, the new but fast-growing Michael and Francisca Foundation in Nigeria took the opportunity of Stroke Awareness Month to run a special event for stroke survivors to connect, share stories, challenges and inspiration. 

In the USA the American Stroke Association focused on the fact that the biggest single risk factor for stroke is having already had a stroke.  ASA’s campaign ‘Don’t let stroke strike twice’ was a supported by an online patient education resource highlighting key risk factors and encouraging survivors to ask their doctor to create a personalised stroke prevention plan.

It really seems like a change is happening in relation to stroke awareness and as we look forward to World Stroke Day, we will be learning from and building on the work of our members in May and collaborating to make the many voices of stroke sound loudly on October 29th.

Well done to all of our members who worked hard during May to raise stroke awareness. If you would like to share your Stroke Awareness Month highlights with us, you can post to our Facebook page or tag @WStrokeCampaign on twitter.

Thank You For Supporting World Stroke Day 2018

This year World Stroke Day on the October 29th, was firmly focused on life after stroke. On social media, in the press and and at 194 events spanning 61 countries, stroke survivors caregivers and professionals got together to raise visibility of stroke, share their experiences of getting #UpAgainAfterStroke and build on the ground political commitment to action on stroke prevention, treatment and support.

Our World Stroke Day campaign aimed to show that a meaningful life after stroke is possible and that with the right care and support people can and do get up again. 

We think our members, supporters and partners left no-one in any doubt that the 80 million stroke survivors around the world have the potential to move mountains.

World Stroke Day by Numbers

• 170 million online campaign reach
• 84 million potential media views
• 194 registered events
• 61 countries
• 112,000 campaign web visits
• 11,500 toolkit downloads
• 157K reach on Facebook

The campaign isn't over, you can continue to share our resources and take action through the year. We'll also be running a series of webinars highlighting key issues in life after stroke - watch this space!

Up Again After Stroke

This year the focus of World Stroke Day is on life after stroke. Around 80 million people living in the world today have experienced a stroke and over 50m survivors live with some form of permanent disability as a result. 

While for many, life after stroke won’t be quite the same, our campaign aims to show that, with the right care and support, a meaningful life is still possible. As millions of stroke survivors show us every day, it is possible to get #UpAgainAfterStroke.

While the impact of stroke is different for everyone on 29th October 2018, we want to focus the world’s attention on what unites stroke survivors and caregivers; their resilience and capacity to build on the things that stroke can’t take away and their determination to keep going on the recovery journey.

Join with us

Our website has resources and key messages to help you raise awareness of life after stroke issues on World Stroke Day. Here's how you can join with us and show support and solidarity with stroke survivors on World Stroke Day:

• Download campaign social media resources from the campaign website www.worldstrokecampaign.org; If you have some design skills and software and want to adapt materials for local use contact campaign@world-stroke.org
• Change the heading pictures on your account and share social posts with your networks.
• Share your personal experience as a stroke survivor or caregiver on Facebook and twitter. Be sure to include the campaign hashtag #UpAgainAfterStroke so that your experience is seen and shared.
• If you don’t use social media, share your story of stroke recovery on the World Stroke Campaign website. 

Stroke Foundation Uganda, a new WSO member, gives hope to stroke survivors and their families

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Ibrahim Bukenya is the founder and principal physiotherapist at the Stroke Rehabilitation Center, home to the Stroke Foundation Uganda, in Kampala. 

What has inspired you to be involved in stroke support?

The inspiration was when I had a challenge in taking care of a mother who had a stroke and later passed away and the fact that I had worked with the Stroke Rehabilitation Center for the last 8 years by then. There were challenges other stroke survivors were going through and Uganda’s burden of stroke is increasing every day. I want to help prevent people from going through this challenging condition, to minimise adult disability caused by stroke and to have a stroke free Uganda.

What does stroke support look like in your country?

Stroke support in Uganda is mainly about stroke survivors coming together and encouraging each other to reach a common goal which is recovery and to go back to work. The Stroke Rehabilitation Center helps the survivors who cannot afford the rehabilitation costs. Our stroke support groups have volunteers who go to visit the survivors to encourage them. The stroke support group organises the World Stroke Day event with different activities to help increase awareness.

How did the project come about?

The project came about after realising the challenges the stroke survivors go through and the       national stroke burden.                                                                                                                                                          

What have been some of the outcomes of the project?

About 2% of stroke survivors have recovered to 90% and gone back to work.

Stroke survivors who have attended stroke support groups and rehabilitation treatments are promoting our name across the country, thanking and talking good about giving them hope again and families have been saved from tearing apart due to the counselling given to both care givers and survivors.

What has been the response from others- community, doctor’s politicians?

In the community the mindset about stroke has changed from the witchcraft perspective to rehabilitation and seeking early treatment from hospitals rather than traditional healers.

Doctors are increasingly understanding how important rehabilitation is to the survivors and we are already collaborating with some of them from the primary health facilities, however, other doctors still think negatively that rehabilitation treatment is competition to their work.

Politicians are getting to understand rehabilitation treatment through the parliamentary health weeks and through their relatives that have attended the support groups.

Stroke can attack any one at any time affecting the economic viability of someone, therefore stroke awareness prevention should be taken so seriously by knowing the risk factors for stroke, the signs and symptoms and in case someone gets a stroke to rush the person to the nearest hospital.

For more information:

www.strokeuganda.org

Announcing our World Stroke Day Campaign Stars

World Stroke Award Winners 2017

The World Stroke Organization is proud to announce the winners of our World Stroke Awards. World Stroke Award winners are selected based on their impact, innovation and alignment with the World Stroke Day campaign theme. World Stroke Day 2017 was focused on stroke prevention, with messaging that aimed to raise public awareness of key risks and the steps we can all take to prevent stroke.

The ‘What’s your reason?’ campaign was the most successful yet, with 218 activities registered in 62 countries. The Campaign Committee received 35 Award submissions which were reviewed against criteria for High Income, Low to Middle Income and Individual Achievement. Here are the winners in each category:

What Support Means for Stroke Survivors: Rehabilitation, Hope and Connection

There are an estimated 17 million strokes worldwide each year, putting the disease on the leader board as the single largest cause of disability and the second leading cause of death worldwide.

While stroke incidence in high income countries has been on the decline in recent years - largely due to improvements in preventive and acute treatments - a consequence of an ageing population is that these countries are seeing a growing proportion of people living longer with the physical, communication, emotional, social and financial consequences of stroke.

The challenge is heightened in low and middle-income countries where stroke incidence has reached epidemic proportions and where trends show increased prevalence of stroke risk factors and stroke incidence in a much younger population. Significant barriers to timely and optimal stroke care, which impact negatively on recovery, are compounded by difficulties in accessing post-stroke rehabilitation and long-term support for complex care needs.

The most recent Global Burden of Disease report shows that stroke was responsible for over 116 million years of life lived with disability (YLLDs) worldwide in 2016 alone. While this figure hints at the huge impact of stroke on global development, it doesn't come close to communicating the profound and everyday impact of disability, financial stress, stigma and mental health issues shared by stroke survivors and their families elsewhere on this blog.

Addressing stroke support issues on World Stroke Day 2018

All of this provides good reason to focus our World Stroke Campaign on support for people who have had stroke. 'Support' however means a lot of different things to different people and to help us refine the campaign we asked stroke survivors and caregivers to help us define the focus and the creative approach to this year's World Stroke Day campaign

Workshops with SSO representatives at the Stroke Alliance for Europe (SAFE) conference in Zagreb were complemented by an online questionnaire open to the global SSO network. These gave a picture of what support means to stroke survivors, their families and caregivers and provided input into determining what the Campaign priorities should be in terms of focus and key message. Unsurprisingly perhaps - given the extensive consultation that informed the document - many of the themes from consultation map onto the recovery section of the World Stroke Organization's Global Stroke Bill of Rights.

• Be provided with hope for the best possible recoveryI can make, now and into the future. 
• Receive psychological and emotional support in a form that best meets my needs. 
• Be included in all aspects of society regardless of any disability I may have. 
• Receive support (financial or otherwise)to ensure I am cared for in the longer term. 
• Be supported to return to work and/or other activities I may choose to participate in after my stroke. 
• Get access to formal and informal advocacy to assist me with access to the services I need. 
• Be connected to other stroke survivors and caregivers so I may gain and provide support in my recovery from stroke

The stroke support issues and the level of priority attached to them (Rehabilitation, Hope and Connection were the top three priorities) have been incorporated into the World Stroke Campaign brief and will inform the messaging and content framework for the campaign in 2018. The brief is currently being reviewed by creative agencies who will develop the campaign concept ready to launch in May 2018.

When asked what single message the campaign should communicate the majority of respondents said that the most important thing to communicate is hope for life after stroke. Questionnaire respondents also highlighted the specific needs and issues faced by young stroke survivors and families. We will be working with our members in the young stroke space to gather experiences and provide opportunities to increase awareness of some of the specific challenges (and triumphs!) experienced by young stroke survivors and their families.

Many thanks to all who participated in the consultations and took time to complete the questionnaire. This really is the campaign year for SSOs! And we can assure you that your views have been heard and acted on. We will be keeping you up to date on developments in coming months and look forward to working with our SSO members to highlight the issues that matter most to you.

Finns Win National Award for Making Heart and Brain Connection

World Stroke Organization members, the Finnish Brain Association, have been recognized with a highly prized national award for their ‘Priceless Processor’ blood pressure campaign. The Association’s campaign was developed to address low awareness among the Finnish population that high blood pressure can have effects on the brain, not just the heart. 

Encouraging people to protect their ‘Priceless Processor’, the Association set up over 250 ‘pop-up’ blood pressure monitoring stations across the country. The campaign worked in partnership with occupational health centres and pharmacies to offer blood pressure monitoring and information to the public. Social media, TV, radio and press were all used to share information about the link between heart and brain, and to encourage people to take action to monitor and control their blood pressure.

The Brain Association beat off stiff competition to receive the accolade at the country’s annual Foresight Forum. Fifty nominations were assessed for the HEALTH ACT and HEALTH INNOVATION awards. The jury consisted of a diverse range of health professionals and selected the 'Priceless Processor' campaign for the HEALTH ACT award because, ”increasing awareness of the connection between brain health and elevated blood pressure was a noteworthy insight. Self-monitoring is part of future health care, and making it more widely adopted among citizens is essential in the prevention of serious health issues.”