About Stroke Foundation

Stroke Foundation is a national charity that partners with the community to prevent stroke, save lives and enhance recovery. We stand alongside survivors of stroke and their families, healthcare professionals and researchers to build community awareness, foster new thinking and innovative treatments. We support survivors on their journey to live the best possible life after stroke.

We are the voice of stroke in Australia and work to:

Raise awareness of the risk factors, signs of stroke and promote healthy lifestyles

Improve treatment for stroke to save lives and reduce disability

Improve life after stroke for survivors

Encourage and facilitate stroke research

Advocate for initiatives to prevent, treat and beat stroke

What is stroke?

Stroke attacks the brain, the human control centre, changing lives in an instant. It can happen to anyone, anytime, at any age.

Your brain is fed by blood carrying oxygen and nutrients through blood vessels called arteries. A stroke happens when blood cannot get to your brain, because of a blocked or burst artery. As a result, your brain cells die due to a lack of oxygen and nutrients.

How it impacts you is different for everyone. The damage to an area of your brain can impact how you think, behave, use words, swallow, see, feel, touch and move your body.

In saying that, stroke is preventable for many. Some of the causes within our control include high blood pressure, being overweight, smoking, high cholesterol, a high intake of alcohol and diabetes.

We have information and videos about What is a stroke? in other languages, including Arabic, Chinese (Cantonese & Mandarin), Greek, Italian, Macedonian, Turkish, Korean, Hindi, and Vietnamese.