Members' news and events

May is Action on Stroke Month - Sign Up Now

May 2012 marks Action on Stroke Month where this year The Stroke Association will be highlighting Life After Stroke issues. We want to:

Make more people aware of the impact stroke has on stroke survivors and the challenges they face in their daily life

Challenge attitudes that little can be done for stroke survivors by celebrating their achievements and support for each other

With cuts to budgets beginning to bite, we want to campaign with you and others working in stroke to highlight the support stroke survivors need and are entitled to.

If you read Jennifer’s story, you will learn more about the impact a stroke can have on someone’s life and the need for support to be there when it is needed and for as long as it is needed.

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Stay up to date with news from across the UK on what’s been happening in Action on Stroke Month by signing up to our newsletter.

Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland Launch New Website

Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland has launched a new website for unpaid stroke carers, families and friends of anyone affected by stroke illness. The site was developed in collaboration with CHSS, University of Edinburgh, National Advisory Committee for Stroke and Big Lottery Fund Scotland.

The wesite address is www.stroke4carers.org and the site is targeted at unpaid stroke carers, families and friends.

It has information, advice and support from the time of diagnosis to months or years later. Over 300 pages with easy to use interactive graphics, film clips and quizzes to explain a variety of difficult topics and give practical advice. Checklists and film clips are downloadable and can be shared with family and friends.

Brain Tumour Action - Christmas Raffle and Calendars

Please could you help with our Christmas Raffle which will be drawn on 13th December 2011.

There are some excellent Festive prizes.

Top prize is a six course meal for two at Restaurant Martin Wishart and the second prize is 18 holes of golf for four at the Royal Musselburgh Golf Course. Either of these would make a wonderful gift. In addition there are some very good ‘smaller’ prizes as well - to keep you in the Festive mood.

Tickets which come in books of five, cost only £1.00 each.

Please contact Lynne Barty if you wish to get some books to sell among friends and colleagues.

All proceeds will go to Brain Tumour Action and all prizes have been donated.

The Herald newspaper is donating profits from the sale of its annual Christmas Charity Calendar to Brain Tumour Action this year.

This is a most generous gesture and we hope as many supporters as possible will choose to buy one. They cost £7.50 each of which £2.50 will come to our charity.

Find out more

SIGN Guideline Meeting - Monday 5th December 2011

The SIGN guideline on brain injury rehabilitation National Meeting is taking place on Monday 5th December 2011 in Edinburgh.

This is a free event and please follow the links to the full Programme and Event Registration.

If you require any further information please contact Lesley Forsyth

New Campaign Calls for Urgent Attention for Stroke

An important and positive new campaign to mobilise wider support for improved stroke prevention, treatment and care in Scotland was launched in May by The Stroke Association in Scotland.

The “Agenda for Action for Stroke in Scotland” sets out key areas where further improvements are required.

• Increased public awareness of stroke, as this saves lives • Implementation of more effective stroke prevention measures, so there are far fewer strokes. • Continuing provision of speedy and good quality acute treatment and rehabilitation for all stroke patients, to save lives and aid recovery. • Improvements in the longer term care and support stroke survivors and their carers receive in the community, to maximise their quality of life after stroke.

Maddy Halliday, Director Scotland of The Stroke Association said: “Stroke is a major public health issue for Scotland. It is the leading cause of adult disability and third most common cause of death. Modifiable risk factors for stroke, such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and obesity, are increasing in Scotland and these trends - combined with our growing elderly population - mean that the number of people at risk of stroke is growing. We must and can do more in Scotland to reduce people’s risk of stroke, even as they age.

Over the last 10 years there have been significant and welcome improvements in NHS acute stroke care in Scotland and, linked to these improvements, falling death rates due to stroke. But the quality of acute stroke care and rehabilitation across Scotland is variable and many areas do not currently meet all the national stroke clinical standards. Despite the financial pressures ahead, we must also do more to sustain and improve the quality of acute stroke care in Scotland.

It is important to pledge your support, The more people who pledge to support improvements in stroke, the more likely we will achieve the progress we so urgently need.”

More information about the Agenda for Action for Stroke in Scotland campaign and how people can pledge your support, is available from the Stroke Association’s website or by email