A fair go young stroke
November 02, 2017
Young stroke survivors will gather on the Sunshine Coast today, challenging the myth stroke only impacts the elderly.
The Stroke Foundation is hosting a Positive Recovery Think Tank at the Lake Kawana Community Centre, providing working age stroke survivors a voice in the future of stroke treatment, care and support in Queensland.
Stroke Foundation Queensland State Manager Andrea Sanders said the free event was an important step towards understanding the needs of young stroke survivors, which could be significantly different to those who suffered a stroke later in life.
“There is one stroke every nine minutes in Australia and the potentially devastating disease does not discriminate. Many people don’t realise one third of strokes happen to people of a working age,” Ms Sanders said.
“Stroke attacks the brain, the human control centre, impacting both physical and mental abilities. It happens in an instant, changing the lives of the survivor and their loved ones forever – there is no time to prepare for the journey ahead.
“For the more than 27,000 young Queensland stroke survivors and their loved ones, the recovery journey can last decades.
“Stroke can impact a survivors physical and emotional wellbeing, but also their independence, their role within their family, financially and their career, where they live, friendships, every element of life,” she said.
A Stroke Foundation survey found 95 percent of young stroke survivors reported having ongoing needs after their stroke, with a staggering 88 percent claiming these needs were not being met.
Ms Sanders said the Stroke Foundation was determined to see the gap in stroke supports closed.
“This Think Tank is the first step towards tailored strategies and services to help young Queensland stroke survivors to live well after their stroke,” she said.
The Think Tank comes after a Stroke Foundation report revealed Queenslanders would experience more than 10,000 strokes this year and there were almost 120,000 stroke survivors living in the Queensland community. In the Sunshine Coast electorate of Fisher almost 430 strokes will be experienced this year and there are 3,420 stroke survivors living in the community.
Think Tank speakers include Stroke Foundation representatives, health professionals, researchers and stroke survivors. Queensland election candidates have also been invited.
In the lead up to the state election Stroke Foundation is calling on the next Queensland Government to give young stroke survivors a fair go by investing in a nation-leading multifaceted strategy to support their needs.
Ms Sanders said the modest $660,000 investment will result in young stroke survivors being empowered to maximise life after stroke, being supported to grow and thrive to get back to work and contribute to the community. Reducing strokes burden on Government and the community.
“Stroke is no longer a death sentence for many, but stroke survivors and their loved ones its impact is far reaching,’’ Ms Sanders said.
“Survivors and their loved ones need and deserve access to the services and supports to help them live well after stroke. The stroke challenge in this state looms large, but it can be beaten.
“Government, health professionals, researchers and the community must join us in in standing beside stroke survivors to prevent, treat and beat stroke.”
For more on 'A fair go for stroke’ – Queensland election platform.
The Stroke Foundation is hosting a Positive Recovery Think Tank at the Lake Kawana Community Centre, providing working age stroke survivors a voice in the future of stroke treatment, care and support in Queensland.
Stroke Foundation Queensland State Manager Andrea Sanders said the free event was an important step towards understanding the needs of young stroke survivors, which could be significantly different to those who suffered a stroke later in life.
“There is one stroke every nine minutes in Australia and the potentially devastating disease does not discriminate. Many people don’t realise one third of strokes happen to people of a working age,” Ms Sanders said.
“Stroke attacks the brain, the human control centre, impacting both physical and mental abilities. It happens in an instant, changing the lives of the survivor and their loved ones forever – there is no time to prepare for the journey ahead.
“For the more than 27,000 young Queensland stroke survivors and their loved ones, the recovery journey can last decades.
“Stroke can impact a survivors physical and emotional wellbeing, but also their independence, their role within their family, financially and their career, where they live, friendships, every element of life,” she said.
A Stroke Foundation survey found 95 percent of young stroke survivors reported having ongoing needs after their stroke, with a staggering 88 percent claiming these needs were not being met.
Ms Sanders said the Stroke Foundation was determined to see the gap in stroke supports closed.
“This Think Tank is the first step towards tailored strategies and services to help young Queensland stroke survivors to live well after their stroke,” she said.
The Think Tank comes after a Stroke Foundation report revealed Queenslanders would experience more than 10,000 strokes this year and there were almost 120,000 stroke survivors living in the Queensland community. In the Sunshine Coast electorate of Fisher almost 430 strokes will be experienced this year and there are 3,420 stroke survivors living in the community.
Think Tank speakers include Stroke Foundation representatives, health professionals, researchers and stroke survivors. Queensland election candidates have also been invited.
In the lead up to the state election Stroke Foundation is calling on the next Queensland Government to give young stroke survivors a fair go by investing in a nation-leading multifaceted strategy to support their needs.
Ms Sanders said the modest $660,000 investment will result in young stroke survivors being empowered to maximise life after stroke, being supported to grow and thrive to get back to work and contribute to the community. Reducing strokes burden on Government and the community.
“Stroke is no longer a death sentence for many, but stroke survivors and their loved ones its impact is far reaching,’’ Ms Sanders said.
“Survivors and their loved ones need and deserve access to the services and supports to help them live well after stroke. The stroke challenge in this state looms large, but it can be beaten.
“Government, health professionals, researchers and the community must join us in in standing beside stroke survivors to prevent, treat and beat stroke.”
For more on 'A fair go for stroke’ – Queensland election platform.