DEFUSE 3 captured by International Journal of Stroke on the fly at International Stroke Conference

DEFUSE 3

Bruce Campbell EXTEND- IA TNK captured by International Journal of Stroke on the fly at International Stroke Conference

Bruce Campbell EXTEND- IA TNK

Johanna Wardlaw captured by International Journal of Stroke on the fly at International Stroke Conference

Johanna Wardlaw

The First International Nepalese Stroke Conference

The First International Nepalese Stroke Conference, convened by the Nepal Stroke Association, was held on 15^th December 2017 in  Kathmandu, with the theme “Promoting Stroke Education, Prevention, Management and Post-stroke Care”.

The Conference attracted over 250 delegates and speakers from across the world, including: United States, Canada, India, Australia, and United Kingdom. 

Danae Penn shares her story of stroke

My husband Roger and I lived in Belgium, but in May 1995 he was in England for a submariners meeting where he suffered a stroke and was taken to Milton Keynes NHS Trust Hospital after a dangerous delay because the ambulance drivers insisted on him telling them his name – and he was too aphasic to be able to do that. His submariner friends told me the bad news and I used our holiday insurance policy to get to the hospital and to bring him back to Belgium.

Back in Belgium hospital care could begin at last. A physiotherapist examined his paralysed leg and told me that he would walk again. The neurologist was less optimistic about other success until Roger copied a square, a circle and a triangle (with his left hand). Apparently, that meant that his mind was OK. Both specialists were 100% correct.

Nurturing Stroke Expertise in Emerging Leaders

This year the World Stroke Organization is pleased to partner with the World Heart Federation to contribute state of the art stroke knowledge to the Federation-led ‘Emerging Leaders’ program. The program aims to form and develop a cadre of experts who collaborate, research, and act to reduce premature mortality from cardiovascular disease globally by at least 25% by 2025. The program is one of several partnership initiatives between the two organisations focused on the intersection between CVD and stroke.

The 2017-2018 cohort marks the fifth year of the program and will focus on stroke. Previous cohorts have focused on access to essential medicines, secondary prevention of cardiovascular diseases, raised blood pressure, and tobacco prevention and control. 

  

Refining the Ischaemic Penumbra with Topography PODCAST

Refining the Ischaemic Penumbra with Topography

It has been forty years since the ischaemic penumbra was first conceptualised through work on animal models. The topography of penumbra has been portrayed as an infarcted core surrounded by penumbral tissue and an extreme rim of oligaemic tissue. In the paper‘Refining the Ischaemic Penumbra with Topography’ first Author Thanh Phan et al reviewed the understanding of the topography of the ischaemic penumbra from the initial experimental animal models to current developments with neuroimaging which have helped to further define the temporal and spatial evolution of the penumbra and refine our knowledge. 

Carmen Lahiff-Jenkins, Managing Editor of the International Journal of Stroke spoke to Dr Thanh Phan, Monash University, Department of Medicine, Victoria, Australia.

Onyinye Iromba, a stroke survivor and stroke ambassador with Stroke Action Nigeria shares her story.

Where were you when you had your stroke?

I was at home sleeping and it was at about 3 am. I never knew it was stroke and I was staying alone in the house when the stroke happened.

Could you access hospital?

Supporting the global fight against stroke - Ajeng's fundraising inspiration

When Ajeng Riandini’s father experienced a stroke while travelling from Indonesia to Germany, what was supposed to be a once in a lifetime family holiday turned into a worrying and financially stressful event. A massive stroke on the plane was complicated by atrial fibrillation, pulmonary embolism and gastric bleeding in hospital. Huge anxieties about her father’s health were compounded by worries about the costs of his treatment in Germany and of longer-term rehabilitation back home in Indonesia. Unsure of the whether insurance would cover costs and knowing that her father had used his retirement savings to fund her studies abroad, Ajeng took to social media, to raise funds and ensure that bills could be paid. As it turned out, her father’s insurance did meet many of the costs of treatment, so Ajeng committed to donate surplus funds to the World Stroke Organization and Stroke Support Germany. Here she tells her story and why her family chose to support WSO.

Going right to the top to tackle stroke

Pablo Vercelli's family knows too well the impact of stroke. To help raise awareness and funds to fight stroke globally, he, alongside his brother and two friends, is set to take on a major mountaineering challenge. They aim to raise $20,000 to improve stroke prevention, treatment and support in Argentina and around the world. Here he tells us what has motivated him to climb the highest mountain outside the Himalayas.

‘My mother passed away in 2009 due to a stroke. My sister also had a stroke three years ago, and was very lucky to survive. She received treatment and was looked after by professionals in a clinic in Buenos Aires, and is still recovering. The effect that stroke has had on our family has encouraged me to do whatever I can to shine a light on stroke and the opportunities there are to prevent stroke and improve life for survivors.’

Recognising and sharing best practice in stroke awareness

World Stroke Day Campaign Awards 2017 - Call for Applications 

We know that our members, partners and supporters pulled out all the stops for World Stroke Day 2017. So many people got behind the campaign and spoke with one voice about the need for everyone to take stroke prevention seriously.

Our map of World Stroke Day activity was densely packed with pins, showing a world united in tackling stroke. Social media channels buzzed with messages about stroke prevention. While some people were moved to sing and dance, (yes, we're looking at you Brazil!) others ran marathons through city streets, many shared moving personal stories of loss and the challenges of stroke recovery.

We are in awe of the energy and creativity of all our World Stroke Day supporters and, as part of our commitment to recognize and share best practice, we are pleased to invite WSO Members, partners and supporters to apply for a 2017 World Stroke Day Campaign Award.  You can apply on behalf of your own organization, or nominate a society or individual that you think did an exceptional job in raising awareness of stroke risk.

There are three categories for award submissions:

• Individual Achievement Award
• Best campaign in a Low- to Middle-Income Country
• Best campaign in a High Income Country

The deadline for awards is 30th November 2017. Winners will be announced in February 2018 and will receive a year's free membership of the World Stroke Organisation, opening the door to a range of benefits including member rates on World Stroke Congress Registration, free access to the International Journal of Stroke and the World Stroke Organisation newsletter. We will also profile your achievement in our blog and popular social media channels.

For more information and to access the online application form, visit the World Stroke Campaign Awards page .