A South Australian survivor of stroke is sharing her story with key South Australian decision makers in a bid to improve outcomes for survivors of stroke and help prevent stroke in the community.
Lisa Cook was just 30 years old when she had a stroke in 2015.
"I remember when they told me, my first thought was 'but I'm not old'. I was fit and healthy and, like most people, I thought stroke only affected older people but what I learnt is that stroke doesn't discriminate. It doesn't care how young or fit you are."
Lisa is now on a mission to spread awareness and help other survivors. Tomorrow she will share her story with South Australian MPs, calling on them to take action and ensure the SA Government is continuously working to improve outcomes for stroke survivors, improve access to treatment and provide ongoing education in prevention.
She'll be joined by Stroke Foundation Chief Executive Officer, Dr Lisa Murphy.
"This is a great opportunity for South Australia's decision makers to hear about the real-life impacts of stroke and how education on the signs of stroke can have a significant impact on a person's chance of survival and recovery."
There are almost 450,000 Australians living with stroke, of which more than 35,000 are in South Australia.
"In South Australia, more than 2,000 people will have a first-time stroke this year, and well over 700 of them will not survive. We need to turn the statistics around, but we can't do it alone," Dr Murphy said.
Stroke Foundation is calling for the South Australian Government to develop and roll out a targeted campaign educating Australians on the awareness of stroke via the F.A.S.T. (Face, Arms, Speech, Time) campaign, implement a health professional education program as well as introduce a program supporting survivors after they've been discharged.
"I look forward to ensuring South Australians have equitable access to stroke diagnosis, and treatment. We want to ensure better outcomes for all those impacted," Dr Murphy said.
