In this episode of the Know Stroke Podcast, we are honored to have special guest Senator Ben Ray Luján, who has been a dedicated advocate for stroke awareness and policy reform. Senator Luján serves as both a senator and a stroke survivor, making his insights and experiences invaluable. During the episode, Senator Luján highlights the importance of stroke awareness, particularly during the month of May, which is Stroke Awareness Month. He emphasizes the need for comprehensive policy reform and increased investments to address education and awareness gaps related to stroke. The Senator's impactful keynote address at the International Stroke Conference is also heard in this episode. His speech shed light on various critical topics surrounding stroke, leaving a lasting impact on the audience. Key discussion points covered in the episode include: Personal Journey with Stroke Recovery: Senator Luján shares his own personal journey with stroke recovery, emphasizing how this experience has shaped his advocacy work. His firsthand knowledge allows him to understand the challenges faced by stroke survivors and the importance of supporting their recovery. Reducing the Stigma Around Stroke: The episode addresses the significance of breaking the stigma around stroke. Senator Luján advocates for open conversations, public awareness campaigns, and sharing personal stories of stroke survivors to dispel misconceptions and foster a supportive environment. Investment and Policy Reform: Senator Luján stresses the need for investments and policy reforms to improve education and awareness of stroke. This includes increased funding for public health campaigns, research into risk factors and prevention strategies, and collaboration with healthcare professionals and advocacy groups to develop evidence-based educational programs. Addressing Healthcare Staffing Issues: Access to rehabilitation services is a critical aspect of stroke recovery. Senator Luján discusses the importance of addressing healthcare staffing shortages by investing in training programs and incentives to attract and retain healthcare professionals. Ensuring access to quality rehabilitation support for stroke survivors across the country is a key goal. Expansion of Broadband Connectivity for Telehealth Services: The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of telehealth services, including Project Echo, in providing remote access to specialized care. Senator Luján emphasizes the need to expand broadband connectivity to bridge the digital divide and enable telehealth services. This expansion will enhance access to care for stroke survivors, particularly those in underserved areas. This episode with Senator Ben Ray Luján is a powerful exploration of stroke awareness, personal experiences, and the necessary policy reforms. Listeners gain valuable insights into the journey of a stroke survivor-turned-advocate and the steps needed to improve stroke education, reduce stigma, and ensure access to quality care and support for all stroke survivors. Show Credits: Music intro credit to Jake Dansereau. Our intro welcome is the voice of Caroline Goggin, a stroke survivor and our first podcast guest! Please listen to her inspiring story on Episode 2 of the podcast. Be sure to give the show a like and share, & follow and connect with us on social or contact us to support us as a show sponsor or become a guest on the Know Stroke Podcast. Visit website to to learn more: https://www.knowstrokepod.com/ Connect with Us and Share our Show on Social: Website | Linkedin | Twitter | YouTube | Facebook

In Episode 53 we were joined by Professor Julie Bernhardt, co-leader of The Florey’s Stroke theme and leads the AVERT Early Intervention Research Program. Julie believes that to impact the global burden of disability after stroke, we need to rethink, reframe and refocus our efforts to develop more effective treatments and treatment environments (hospitals) to help people recover well after a stroke. Julie is the Director of Australia’s first NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in Stroke Rehabilitation and Recovery, a partnership that has helped build capacity and research excellence in this exciting field. She spearheads the International Stroke Recovery and Rehabilitation Roundtable task force that is identifying important knowledge gaps and setting new targets for recovery research. She also works with architects and designers to innovate rehabilitation hospital design. Episode highlights: Julie's personal experience leading to a career in PT & stroke research A Very Early Rehabilitation Trail after stroke (AVERT) How the Florey is supporting the unique needs of young stroke survivors in Australia Breaking down silos with the International Stroke Recovery & Rehab Alliance Learn more about The Florey: https://florey.edu.au/ Connect with Julie on Twitter: @AVERTtrial Show Credits: Music intro credit to Jake Dansereau, connect at JAKEEZo on Soundcloud @user-257386777. Our intro welcome is the voice of Caroline Goggin, a stroke survivor and our first podcast guest! Please listen to her inspiring story on Episode 2 of the podcast. Until next time, be sure to give the show a like and share, +follow and connect with us on social or contact us to support us as a show sponsor or become a guest on the Know Stroke Podcast. Visit our new website to apply here: https://www.knowstrokepod.com/ Connect with Us and Share our Show on Social: Website | Linkedin | Twitter | YouTube | Facebook

Welcome to episode 52 of the Know Stroke Podcast. In this episode we're joined by Stacie Broek, author, blogger, stroke survivor, overachiever, mother of 3 & invisible disabilities advocate. Stacie shares her powerful story of surviving a stroke while in Japan, and her work to support other survivor's and their family through a model of passion based therapy. Visit her website here - https://www.staciebroek.com/ Family 2.0: The Caregivers Guide to Stroke Recovery - https://passionbasedtherapy.thinkific.com/courses/caregiver-guide-to-stroke-recovery See her advocacy with Philips Healthcare here - https://youtu.be/NmuoQvinnYw Show Credits: Music intro credit to Jake Dansereau, connect at JAKEEZo on Soundcloud @user-257386777. Our intro welcome is the voice of Caroline Goggin, a stroke survivor and our first podcast guest! Please listen to her inspiring story on Episode 2 of the podcast. Until next time, be sure to give the show a like and share, +follow and connect with us on social or contact us to support us as a show sponsor or become a guest on the Know Stroke Podcast. Visit our new website to apply here: https://www.knowstrokepod.com/ Connect with Us and Share our Show on Social: Website | Linkedin | Twitter | YouTube | Facebook

In Episode 52, we were joined by Marc Powell to speak about the ground-breaking neuro-technology he and his team at Reach Neuro are working on to restore arm and hand movement in patients who survived severe strokes. Globally, every fourth adult over the age of 25 will suffer a stroke in their lifetime, and 75% of those people will have lasting deficits in motor control of their arm and hand, severely limiting their physical autonomy. In April 2023, the FDA granted breakthrough device designation for Reach Neuro’s Avantis, a platform that delivers small electrical impulses to the spinal cord to restore shoulder, arm, and hand movement to post chronic stoke patients. The Avantis system is built to restore a patient's ability to control movement directly, giving them not only immediate relief but also allowing it to be possible for them to return to therapy. Early evidence has shown the effectiveness of the system in patients with chronic stroke up to 9 years poststroke, outside of the 6 month window where existing therapies are typically used. Connect with Marc on Twitter: @marcppowell Visit the Reach Neuro Website: https://www.reachneuro.com/ Show Credits: Music intro credit to Jake Dansereau, connect at JAKEEZo on Soundcloud @user-257386777. Our intro welcome is the voice of Caroline Goggin, a stroke survivor and our first podcast guest! Please listen to her inspiring story on Episode 2 of the podcast. Until next time, be sure to give the show a like and share, +follow and connect with us on social or contact us to support us as a show sponsor or become a guest on the Know Stroke Podcast. Visit our new website to apply here: https://www.knowstrokepod.com/ Connect with Us and Share our Show on Social: Website | Linkedin | Twitter | YouTube | Facebook

Episode 50 of the Know Stroke Podcast is here! This has been a milestone we've had our eye on for a few months now and we're super excited to share this episode with you. We start off with an introduction from Mike and David speaking to some of the feedback and impact they've received since launching the podcast - these stories are what keep us going. In this episode we were joined by Dr. Christopher Richards. He is the Medical Director of the UC Health Mobile Stroke Unit and Assistant Professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. Dr. Richards and his team work with 15 partner fire/EMS departments across Greater Cincinnati to bring emergency department-level stroke care to community members who need it through a mobile stroke unit. Episode highlights: The rich history of innovative stroke care at UC Health Bringing the stroke unit to the curbside with the UC Health Mobile Stroke Unit Analyzing data from 911 calls to better understand how people describe stroke symptoms Standardizing MSUs into the stroke care of survival nationally Balancing the clinical outcomes with cost-effectiveness for Mobile Stroke Units Follow Dr. Richards on Twitter @CTRMDMS Show Credits: Music intro credit to Jake Dansereau, connect at JAKEEZo on Soundcloud @user-257386777. Our intro welcome is the voice of Caroline Goggin, a stroke survivor and our first podcast guest! Please listen to her inspiring story on Episode 2 of the podcast. Until next time, be sure to give the show a like and share, +follow and connect with us on social or contact us to support us as a show sponsor or become a guest on the Know Stroke Podcast. Visit our new website to apply here: https://www.knowstrokepod.com/ Connect with Us and Share our Show on Social: Website | Linkedin | Twitter | YouTube | Facebook

About this Episode: For episode 49 of the podcast we sat down with Sarah Belson, International Development Manager at the World Stroke Organization; leading, developing and implementing a program of capacity building activities for new and emerging patient stroke support organizations (SSOs) around the world. Some of the highlights from our interview: Global mapping of SSOs: One of the key challenges that stroke patients and their families face is a lack of awareness and support for their condition. To address this, the World Stroke Organization has been working to map SSOs around the world and develop a comprehensive database of resources and contacts for patients and their families. Framework for long-term sustainability: Another challenge that SSOs face is maintaining their operations over the long term. To address this, the World Stroke Organization has developed a framework for building capacity and ensuring the sustainability of SSOs. This includes training and support for organizational development, fundraising, and advocacy. Stroke Connector: Stroke Connector is an online platform developed by the World Stroke Organization to connect stroke survivors, caregivers, and advocates around the world. The platform includes a directory of SSOs, resources for patients and their families, and a forum for sharing experiences and best practices. Collaboration with SAFE: The World Stroke Organization has also been working closely with the Stroke Alliance for Europe (SAFE) to support Life After Stroke programs across Europe. This includes training and capacity building for SSOs, advocacy for better stroke care and support, and raising awareness about the impact of stroke on patients and their families. Overall, the World Stroke Organization's efforts to support SSOs around the world are crucial for improving the lives of stroke patients and their families, and for raising awareness and advocacy for better stroke care and support. Links that were mentioned in todays episode: https://www.world-stroke.org https://www.world-stroke.org/what-we-do/sso-capacity-building https://www.world-stroke.org/what-we-do/sso-capacity-building/stroke-connector https://www.safestroke.eu Show Credits: Music intro credit to Jake Dansereau, connect at JAKEEZo on Soundcloud @user-257386777. Our intro welcome is the voice of Caroline Goggin, a stroke survivor and our first podcast guest! Please listen to her inspiring story on Episode 2 of the podcast. Until next time, be sure to give the show a like and share, +follow and connect with us on social or contact us to support us as a show sponsor or become a guest on the Know Stroke Podcast. Visit our new website to apply here: https://www.knowstrokepod.com/ Connect with Us and Share our Show on Social: Website | Linkedin | Twitter | YouTube | Facebook