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Headlines 7 Stroke Central New Zealand Stroke Central NewZealand is a not-for-profit organisation that provides free support services to stroke survivors and their whānau in the central region of NewZealand. We also provide all communities with stroke awareness and prevention education to reduce the burden of stroke on NewZealand as a nation. Our current focus is stroke prevention and recovery. This includes our ongoing stroke prevention campaign #DontBeTheOneNZ as well as our new ‘Mahia Te Mahi – Take Action!’ campaign, where we collaborate with other organisations and events around the country to encourage people to live a more active and healthy life to reduce their risk of stroke and other cardiovascular diseases. When it comes to stroke recovery, we have recently started to work with the Take Charge After Stroke method where clients are encouraged to use self-directed rehabilitation intervention within their recovery. We also put great emphasis on the F.A.S.T. campaign to help people recognise the signs of stroke and understand that stroke is an emergency. This is a particular focus for us within Māori and Pacific communities and we are working on improving our reach for our recovery and prevention messages within those communities. (see page 9) "We are delighted to be included in this copy of Headlines as it is an opportunity to raise consciousness about the impact of stroke which is of course a neurological disease. We are always pleased to share information with organisations such as the Neurological Foundation that will help both in research and treatment". David Halford, interim CEO for Stroke Central New Zealand Website: www. s trokecentral.org.nz Phone: 0800 298 858 Email: stroke@strokecentral.org.nz Bracing for a stroke tsunami, Stroke Foundation of New Zealand Stroke Foundation’s mission is to prevent strokes, improve outcomes, and save lives. It provides essential community services to reduce the burden of stroke, with a specific emphasis on reducing the risk for Māori and Pacific people and supporting their life after stroke. “We are facing a stroke tsunami here in Aotearoa, and need to change the way that we prevent stroke and improve outcomes for stroke survivors to stem the rising tide of demand for our services,” says Jo Lambert, Stroke Foundation CEO. The Stroke Foundation advocates for critical changes to better support the growing stroke affected community, including: • Investment to keep people well in their communities, with a focus on priority regions, particularly for blood pressure monitoring. It currently provides this service free of charge; with a 100% funding gap. • Government support for salt reduction targets (and other food reformulation targets such as sugar) for a wide range of processed food categories, aiming for 80% compliance, to tackle the increasing numbers of stroke exacerbated by high blood pressure. • Help stop the “postcode lottery” by ensuring the Stroke Foundation’s Community Stroke Advisor service is routinely part of the multi-disciplinary team in a nationally integrated and consistent stroke pathway to help all survivors and their whānau navigate and connect to the support and services they need. • Support to introduce the New Zealand designed and evidenced Take Charge After Stroke intervention, with a specific focus on our Māori and Pacific communities. • Help ensure the sustainability of the Stroke Foundation’s service through improved funding, as Jo adds, “because if we aren’t there for our stroke affected communities, who will be?”. If you would like to learn more about the Stroke Foundation, the outcomes it helps to create, and how to support its important kaupapa, please contact Jo Lambert, CEO, at jo.lambert@stroke.org.nz or 021 541 553 or visit www.stroke.org.nz. We would like to thank the Stroke Foundation of New Zealand for the infographics in this article which provide vital information regarding stroke. "It is projected that over the next 10 years, the number of people who experience stroke will increase by 40%."