Finding Strength Through Support – New Campaign from Stroke Association

Every year in the UK, another 88,000 survivors face the life-changing impact of a stroke. Research highlights that there is limited knowledge of stroke among the general public beyond it being an isolated medical emergency, and there is little understanding of what it’s like to survive a stroke or what’s possible when it comes to recovery. This means when people do have a stroke, they don’t know where to go to for support.

The Stroke Association has launched a new campaign titled ‘Finding Strength Through Support‘ which is designed to raise awareness of the effects of stroke and reach more survivors. They hope this campaign will increase understanding of the following important messages:

• Stroke is not just an isolated, urgent medical emergency. For many survivors, stroke is a condition that they will have to manage and try to recover from for the rest of their lives.
• Surviving a stroke is the beginning of a long journey to recovery.
• There are four typical impacts of stroke: paralysis, vision issues, communication problems and being unable to swallow.
• Recovering from the impact of a stroke takes immense inner strength.
• The Stroke Association plays a vital role in supporting stroke survivors and their loved ones.

The new advert was inspired by real stroke survivor stories and informed by research undertaken with people affected by stroke. The storyline concentrates on the immediate period after a stroke, featuring three different families in a hospital setting beside their loved ones who have had a stroke and are just discovering the devastating impacts. It features stroke survivors of different ages, each with different impacts of stroke, to highlight to viewers that stroke doesn’t just happen to older people and that everyone’s experience of stroke is different.

The Stroke Association hope that the supporting content of stroke survivors talking about their experiences – experiences that informed the advert – will provide hope and meaning for people living with stroke, and will encourage more people to seek help and support.

For further information about the support available through the Stroke Association, please visit their Stroke Support and Guidance Overview page.