National Stroke Week: 7-13 Aug

National Stroke Week 2023 encourages the community to fight stroke together so that you or your loved one's can continue to enjoy life during and after recovery.

Fighting stroke together with the Stroke Foundation aims to bring people together to share knowledge, support and resources to help prevent strokes from occurring and to aid in the recovery process for those who have experienced a stroke.

You can help by sharing the F.A.S.T. (Face, Arms, Speech, Time) signs of stroke with your family and friends. If you or someone you know experiences the signs of stroke, no matter how long they last, call triple zero (000) immediately.

At Headstart we support many people who have had a stroke. In fact 20% (or one in five) of our consumers are recovering from stroke.

The Stroke Foundation states that:

• Every 19 minutes an Australian will have a stroke

• One in four people will have a stroke in their lifetime

• More than 445,000 Australians are living with the effects of stroke

• Stroke costs the Australian economy $6.2 billion a year. In 2023 you can get involved and raise awareness. For more info visit: www.strokefoundation.org.au

Rob’s road trip adventures

Rob always liked finding new places to visit out in nature. This hasn’t changed since his stroke. Rob loves to get out in his power wheelchair (PWC) whenever he can. Every week Rob has the benefit of a Headstart modified vehicle so that he can use his PWC to enjoy the world and stay safe.

In early April, Rob visited Cellito Beach with his CSW Emma on the north edge of Smith Lake. There’s a boardwalk through a stunning “littoral” (not literal) rainforest to get to the beach. Unfortunately, it had rained and so the power wheelchair wasn’t an option. The boardwalk had handrails so instead he and Emma walked slowly along the 200 metres to a viewing area overlooking the beach.

Rob has had many adventures that access to a modified vehicle enables. His adventures include: The Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney, the Blue Mountains, Fernleigh Track, The Entrance, Newcastle beaches, Maitland Riverside Walk and many other places.

It’sgreattoseeyouenjoyingnatureRob!

Chris loves his archery and has some talent too, with a bull's eye from 20 metres! Chris was understandably very proud and recently received his probational archery club membership card.

Ken’s green thumb

Ken planted some cherry tomatoes in Headstart’s garden and regularly pops round to keep an eye on them.

“I haven’t really got a green thumb,” says Ken. “Cherry tomatoes are easy to grow. Just wash ‘em and eat ‘em I say. They go well in salads!”

Beanies for brain cancer

A crisp, cold winters day means busting out the beanies! “Wendy’s aged care facility had a fundraiser at the front desk, selling Mark Hughes Foundation beanies,” says CSW Deb. “We thought it a great thing to do as it’s a fantastic charity, so we each got one.”

“I love getting out of my facility and have different scenery,” says Wendy as they visit the banks of the Hunter River together after visiting their favourite local cafe. “We can’t go far without our coffee!” The colourful pair sometimes attend Headstart’s Rec group activities and are often out and about.

Rod’s heart for art

“Ido my Aboriginal artwork and I love dolphins as well. So what I’ve tried to do here is combine the two together into a new form of art. I’ve done a painting on canvas of dolphins coming out of the water, with two outside the sun and two inside the sun.

I got plaster dolphins and painted them the colour of dolphins from my imagination, along with the colours of coral and water. We then put it in a kiln and baked the figurine.

Dolphins just seem so natural. There’s nothing bad to say about dolphins. They’re just a beautiful, natural animal.

“I had some plants at home and when they were around six inches tall I replanted them at Headstart. They’re going quite well at the moment and have some flowers growing. I water them if it hasn’t rained and I use a little tomato dust to keep the bugs away.”

“Everybody likes cherry tomatoes!” - Ken

I’ve done a fair bit of research into dolphins and how they’re the only animal that can attack sharks and shark’s don’t like them.

Art gives me something do to on weekends and it’s my passion to do more Aboriginal art.” - Rod

The pool is Neil’s happy place. His son Tahan - with Headstart’s support - ensure that weekly hydrotherapy remains an important part of Neil’s life.