Webcast Testimony of a stroke survivor

The Central East Stroke District Centre has a one hour webcast of a stroke survivor on their website. It is worth to listen how this amazing woman learned from this experience and what's she is sharing. See the webcast

How it feels to have a stroke

Neuroanatomist Jill Bolte Taylor had an opportunity few brain scientists would wish for: One morning, she realized she was having a massive stroke. As it happened -- as she felt...   see the Youtube video

From CBC.CA Tuesday, May 20, 2008

High blood pressure, though high in Ontario's older population and among certain ethnic groups, has not increased in recent decades and is better managed, finds a new study.

But work on managing the condition still needs to be done, warn the authors.

The Ontario Survey on the Prevalence and Control of Hypertension finds that almost 1.5 million people, or 21 per cent of adults in Ontario, have hypertension, based on 2006 figures.

Half a million of these are suffering from uncontrolled blood pressure.

"Approximately one in four men and one in five women aged 20 and 79 were found to have hypertension, with the rate increasing by age," said Frans Leenen, director of the hypertension unit at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute and the study's principal investigator.

"Among those aged 60 to 79 years, for example, 52 per cent were hypertensive."

The study found that 23.8 per cent of male participants and 19 per cent of female participants had high blood pressure.

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Ontario Stroke System Secondary Prevention Web initiative

Heart and Stroke is excited to announce the launch of the Ontario Stroke System Secondary Prevention Web initiative on the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario Prof Ed web site. The link is www.heartandstroke.ca/profed Go to stroke and then stroke care resources/prevention.

This Web initiative, developed by clinicians from across the province, is intended to provide access to information, resources, tools and support for primary care practitioners in managing TIAs and early symptoms of stroke.

The secondary stroke prevention web section includes the following sections and links:

• TIA stats and facts
• What's new
• OSS Secondary Stroke Prevention Model
• Medical management and links to evidence and best practice guidelines/recommendations
• Secondary Stroke Prevention Clinics: clinic locator, description of the clinics, access and contact information
• Resources: educational opportunities related to stroke, relevant links, sites and resource material

The Northwestern Ontario Regional Stroke Program announces the development of a DVD to educate our Aboriginal population regarding cerebrovascular disease, including stroke and blood pressure management. Funding for the project was received from the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario.

The Health Information Services team at the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario has created a Resource Catalogue of current health information resources for consumers. To keep the catalogue current, revisions are planned quarterly.

The Catalogue is available at: www.heartandstroke.ca/resourcecatalogue

Stroke Recovery Canada

Depression, lack of motivation is common for caregivers, as well as survivors; A Caregiver's Guide to Stroke Recovery provides valuable information for both.
This year, more than half of the 40,000 to 50,000 Canadians who have had a stroke will return home and require some form of help to perform basic functions. For many caregivers, coping with the realities of stroke-related disability can be challenging.

A Caregiver's Guide to Stroke Recovery ( PDF 684 KB), available from Stroke Recovery Canada, is designed to help caregivers and families, as well as the stroke survivor, learn to survive and thrive after stroke and reclaim as much of their lives and independence as possible. The guide can be found in rehabilitation centres across Canada and on Stroke Recovery Canada's web site.