Lifesaving service vital for regional Queensland stroke survivors

A Bundaberg couple is calling for the Queensland Government to introduce a lifesaving Telestroke service which is available in every other state of Australia.

Having experienced two strokes, Max McGaw and his wife and carer Denise know all too well how it can change lives in an instant.

“These days our lives look very different. Max is unable to walk, play with his grandchildren or go fishing because of his strokes,” Mrs McGaw said.

“We don’t have the same support in regional areas as they do in the city, and that’s why services like Telestroke are so important.”

Telestroke speeds up diagnosis and supports clinicians in regional and rural areas to decide the best care for the patient which may include blood clot busting treatment or transport for more specialist care.

Stroke Foundation Chief Executive Officer Sharon McGowan said alarmingly 38 per cent of Queenslanders cannot name a single sign of stroke, but we can change this by sharing the F.A.S.T message and educating people about Facial droop, the inability to lift both Arms, slurred Speech and Time.

“When stroke strikes it attacks 1.9 million brain cells per minute so you really cannot afford to lose time or delay treatment. Time equals brain and the sooner the person having a stroke can receive emergency medical treatment, the better their chance of survival and a good recovery,” Ms McGowan said.

“We know that every Government is under financial pressure following the pandemic but funding a telestroke system and a community education program will save lives and reduce disability.

Investing in these upfront stroke initiatives means less disability, more people able to return to work, to study and to living their lives after stroke.

This is better for survivors, for families, for communities and for Queensland's economy.

“We can change the state of stroke in Queensland, the time for action is now.”

This week, Stroke Foundation representatives will join stroke survivors in a meeting with politicians to encourage them to fund the service.

Mr McGaw is among the 87,000 stroke survivors living in Queensland. Regional Australians are 17 per cent more likely to experience a stroke than their metropolitan counterparts.

The message from the Stroke Foundation is for Queenslanders to learn the F.A.S.T acronym and share it with their friends, families and colleagues.

• FACE – has their mouth drooped?
• ARMS – Can they lift both arms?
• SPEECH – Is their speech slurred?
• TIME – is critical. If any of these signs appears, call 000 immediately.

To find out more information about the Stroke Foundation, visit the website.