Hope for families fighting stroke… that’s a gift worth giving this Christmas.
For first-time mum Tenneayle, the discovery that up to 500 children in Australia suffer stroke every year was shocking… but not as shocking as the discovery that her beautiful baby boy Sullivan was one of them.
Tenneayle and her husband Josh knew something wasn’t right with their little boy Sullivan. “At about three months (of age) he wasn’t using his right hand or the right side of his body,” she explains.
Then little Sullivan began to have seizures. Tenneayle and Josh made the decision to pack up their car and drive three hours to their closest children’s hospital. Later that night, a brain scan confirmed baby Sullivan had suffered a stroke.
With your Christmas gift today, we can make sure families fighting stroke have all the support we can give them. In those dark and uncertain hours after a child’s life is changed forever by stroke, you can give the gift of hope.
Read Sullivan's story Donate now
Bring hope to families fighting stroke
Sometimes, a young family's worst nightmare can start with something so ordinary. A child such as little Hannah, only six years of age, with a sick tummy and a sore head. Yet within half an hour, she’s violently ill… vomiting, dizzy, with a fever and chills.
At just six years old, little Hannah had a blood clot in her brain – she was suffering a massive stroke.
It's any parent’s worst nightmare. And I'm telling you about it because you may be surprised to learn that stroke doesn’t care how young you are. Stroke can strike anyone at any age. Even children. Even babies.
And when it does, more than ever, we need to help ensure parents and families have the information and support they need to fight for their child’s survival and recovery. You can bring hope to childhood stroke survivors' like Hannah and her family by donating today.
Read Hannah's story Donate now
Let's fight stroke together
Fighting back after stroke takes a team – from the support of family and friends, to the health professionals in hospital and rehabilitation, right down to the researchers working towards the next breakthrough.
Everyone fighting stroke is a hero. But even heroes need support (and stroke heroes more than most). We know the fight against stroke can be challenging but we’ll never give up in our mission to prevent, treat and beat stroke.
But we need your support to continue the fight. We can only support all our heroes fighting stroke – survivors, their families, health professionals and researchers – if you support our work.
Let’s stand together in the fight against stroke.
Read more Donate now
Thank you for helping stroke survivors fight back
“If you can take anything out of my stroke story,” says Setten, “It’s the impact of encouragement.”
Setten means the encouragement to keep going. And the encouragement it takes to get started in the first place!
The Stroke Foundation team work day and night to provide hope to survivors in recovery – and our amazing Australian researchers are continually trying to unlock the mysteries of the brain to help in our fight to prevent stroke, save lives and enhance recovery.
And we can’t do it without the vital support of the Australian community.
The truth is, recovery is possible – even if the journey is long. With the research you help to fund, and a lot of encouragement and hard work, people like Setten can find a path to their new normal.
Help StrokeLine answer the call
The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has touched all our lives. For most Australians, social isolation and various stages of lock down have been challenging, but for those living with the impact of stroke its effects have been far worse.
Stroke survivors are one of the groups most vulnerable to the ravages of COVID-19. Australians living with stroke are at higher risk of severe symptoms and complications from the virus
That’s why our team of specially trained health professionals have been working hard to answer every call to StrokeLine. But we need your help!
Now is the time we urgently need your help to ensure StrokeLine is there for those who need it most. Please give today to keep Australia’s only dedicated FREE stroke helpline running… so we can answer the next call during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kids have strokes too
Join us today to help fight childhood stroke.
With your support we’ll increase awareness of childhood stroke, improve treatment and care and provide better support to families.
Together we can bring a brighter future to children and families impacted by childhood stroke.
Around 500 strokes will be experienced by infants and children in Australia each year. While the numbers are small, the impact can be devastating and life-long for families.
Stroke Foundation engages and collaborates with the Little Stroke Warriors support group to determine the needs for Australian families impacted by childhood stroke.