New funding will ensure Stroke Foundations work continues in the ACT
October 07, 2021
Stroke Foundation will continue its critical work educating and supporting people in the Australian Capital Territory thanks to a new three-year grant from the state government.
The $620,000 in funding will ensure Stroke Foundation can keep educating the wider community on how to recognise a stroke and to get urgent medical treatment.
It also sees the continuation of the StrokeConnect Follow-Up Service, which supports people after they leave hospital, and allows Stroke Foundation to support Canberra Hospital and Calvary Hospital Bruce Campus’ participation in the Australian Stroke Clinical Registry (AuSCR).
The government funding was announced in this week’s ACT Budget and comes as the Stroke Foundation celebrates its 25th anniversary.
The not-for-profit is the only national organisation focused on stroke prevention, treatment, and recovery for all Australians. This is particularly critical in the ACT, where 400 people experienced a stroke for the first time last year, and where 6,300 people are already living with the impact of stroke.
Stroke Foundation’s State Manager for the ACT, Rhian Paton-Kelly, says the government funding is a great acknowledgement of the organisation’s commitment to ensure everyone impacted by stroke has access to timely treatment.
“It starts with knowing the F.A.S.T message as that knowledge saves lives. We know that 1.9 million brain cells are destroyed every minute after a stroke – time saved is brain saved and we really can’t reiterate enough.”
Thinking F.A.S.T involves asking these simple questions:
Face Check their face. Has their mouth drooped?
Arms Can they lift both arms?
Speech Is their speech slurred? Do they understand you?
Time is critical. If you see any of these signs call triple zero (000) straight away
To make sure as many Australians as possible learn what it means, the message is provided in Greek, Italian, Mandarin, Vietnamese, Arabic, Cantonese, Hindi and Korean on the Stroke Foundation website.
Ms Paton-Kelly says another highlight of Stroke Foundation’s first 25 years has been the establishment of the free national phone service StrokeLine. This is not an emergency service but a support line which offers practical and confidential advice for people impacted by stroke and their families, and ACT residents are encouraged to use its service.
“We are proud of what we have achieved for our community so far. Our next 25 years at Stroke Foundation will be focused on championing new avenues in prevention, treatment, and recovery to make the future brighter and help people with stroke live well.”
The $620,000 in funding will ensure Stroke Foundation can keep educating the wider community on how to recognise a stroke and to get urgent medical treatment.
It also sees the continuation of the StrokeConnect Follow-Up Service, which supports people after they leave hospital, and allows Stroke Foundation to support Canberra Hospital and Calvary Hospital Bruce Campus’ participation in the Australian Stroke Clinical Registry (AuSCR).
The government funding was announced in this week’s ACT Budget and comes as the Stroke Foundation celebrates its 25th anniversary.
The not-for-profit is the only national organisation focused on stroke prevention, treatment, and recovery for all Australians. This is particularly critical in the ACT, where 400 people experienced a stroke for the first time last year, and where 6,300 people are already living with the impact of stroke.
Stroke Foundation’s State Manager for the ACT, Rhian Paton-Kelly, says the government funding is a great acknowledgement of the organisation’s commitment to ensure everyone impacted by stroke has access to timely treatment.
“It starts with knowing the F.A.S.T message as that knowledge saves lives. We know that 1.9 million brain cells are destroyed every minute after a stroke – time saved is brain saved and we really can’t reiterate enough.”
Thinking F.A.S.T involves asking these simple questions:
Face Check their face. Has their mouth drooped?
Arms Can they lift both arms?
Speech Is their speech slurred? Do they understand you?
Time is critical. If you see any of these signs call triple zero (000) straight away
To make sure as many Australians as possible learn what it means, the message is provided in Greek, Italian, Mandarin, Vietnamese, Arabic, Cantonese, Hindi and Korean on the Stroke Foundation website.
Ms Paton-Kelly says another highlight of Stroke Foundation’s first 25 years has been the establishment of the free national phone service StrokeLine. This is not an emergency service but a support line which offers practical and confidential advice for people impacted by stroke and their families, and ACT residents are encouraged to use its service.
“We are proud of what we have achieved for our community so far. Our next 25 years at Stroke Foundation will be focused on championing new avenues in prevention, treatment, and recovery to make the future brighter and help people with stroke live well.”