Become a StrokeSafe Speaker and help save a life 

Stroke Foundation is looking for people in the Hinkler, Wide Bay and Capricornia areas who are passionate about raising awareness of stroke in their communities.

The organisation is seeking volunteers to join its StrokeSafe Speaker Program, which provides talks to local workplaces, events, conferences and community groups. Speakers often have a lived experience of stroke or a family connection, but they can also be current or former health professionals or general members of the community with an interest in health promotion.

Stroke Foundation Queensland State Manager Andrea Sanders said the StrokeSafe Program is a key tool in Stroke Foundation’s mission to educate locals about stroke prevention and what to do in a stroke emergency.

“Stroke is one of Australia’s biggest killers and a leading cause of disability,” Ms Sanders said.

“But 80 percent of strokes could be prevented by managing blood pressure and cholesterol and living a healthy, active lifestyle.

“Our StrokeSafe Speakers help spread this vital message in a powerful and moving way. They can make a difference to lives.”

Stroke strikes the brain and can change lives in an instant. More than 9000 people are expected to have a stroke in Queensland for the first time in 2022. Regional Australians are also 17 per cent more likely to have a stroke than their city counterparts, with the Hinkler and Wide Bay federal electorates in the top 20 hotspots for stroke.

Bruce Jacobson from Gladstone has experienced two strokes – the first while driving a truck. He said having a stroke is frightening and can change your life dramatically.

“I became a StrokeSafe Speaker because I wanted to encourage other people to understand their risk factors and make healthy choices to avoid stroke.

“If I can save just one person from having a stroke through my presentations, I have achieved something.”

Another key element of a StrokeSafe talk is teaching the community how to recognise the most common signs of a stroke and to act quickly to access treatment.

The F.A.S.T. test involves three 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 – Time is critical. If you see any of these signs, call triple zero (000) straight away.

“Don’t muck around if you have stroke symptoms, call triple zero and get to hospital,” Bruce said.

If you are a good communicator, have a willingness to learn and a passion to help prevent stroke, you could be Stroke Foundation’s next StrokeSafe speaker in Capricornia, Wide Bay or Hinkler. Apply here.

If you would like to book a StrokeSafe presentation. Presentations are also available online.