Jill Hall (Shortland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

In speaking to my motion, I would like to acknowledge the fine work done by a number of health professionals and organisations that provide support to those people that suffer from stroke. National Stroke Awareness Week was held between 13 and 19 September. Due to the election, parliament was not sitting during that period, which was unfortunate since I had a number of constituents approach me and ask me if I could raise this issue in the House. In June last year I also raised the issue of stroke and the fine work that is being done by a number of organisations, particularly Stroke and Disability Information (Hunter) Inc. I will talk a little bit about them as I progress with my contribution.

The National Stroke Foundation is obviously the umbrella organisation for all stroke support and information groups throughout the country, and it has used the opportunity of Stroke Awareness Week to launch its new and interactive website. This website has been designed to assist Australians to identify and understand the warning signs and the causes of stroke. Central to the 2010 campaign was the ongoing promotion of the FAST test, which stands for face, arms, speech and time—a way of quickly and easily remembering the signs. People are advised to check the victim’s face—has their mouth or one side of their face drooped. Then, can they lift both of their arms? Is their speech at all slurred; can people understand them? And time is critical—time is of the essence. Dialling 000, getting assistance immediately, is of the utmost importance. Quick, effective treatment will mean that the level of disability that a person has following a stroke is minimised.

A lot of people are mistaken about what a stroke is. It is not a heart attack. A lot of people think that a stroke is a heart attack, and that is an issue addressed by the education that has been done through National Stroke Awareness week and also by the foundation. Rather, a stroke is when the supply of blood to the brain is suddenly interrupted. That could be caused through a blockage in the artery to the brain, or it could be caused by a haemorrhage in the brain. The simple message is that those blood vessels to the brain are not working effectively, the blood supply is denied, and when that happens damage occurs to the brain. It can be a clot or plaque, or it can be an artery bursting.

The first part of understanding stroke is knowing what it is. The next important thing is for all Australians to understand how frequent an occurrence this is. On average in Australia there is a stroke every 10 minutes—every 10 minutes somebody suffers from a stroke. One in three people die within a year of having a stroke. Stroke kills more women than breast cancer. This is something that, once again, is not publicised enough. Almost one in five people who experience a stroke are under the age of 55, and more men are likely to suffer a stroke at a younger age.

In the motion I have put before the parliament I have listed some of the contributors to stroke—things such as obesity, smoking, alcohol consumption and other risky behaviours. Those with diabetes also face an increased risk. If a person has more than one of these factors their likelihood of suffering a stroke is even greater. I cannot emphasise enough the importance of lifestyle, the importance of recognition, the importance of knowing what a stroke is and the importance of adhering to the FAST test advocated by the National Stroke Foundation.

In the time remaining I would like to talk a little about the Stroke and Disability Information service that operates in the Shortland electorate. It provides a service to people throughout the Hunter. I acknowledge the fine work of Dr Chris Levi, who came down and visited Parliament House I think earlier this year with a number of other doctors and professors who work in neurology. The work he has done and the work that continues to be done through the Hunter Medical Research Institute has been groundbreaking and has led to a minimising of the effects of stroke. That work is raising awareness of the science of stroke and of the development of the FAST test. They are also working with clinicians to ensure that they are very aware of the implications of stroke, the benefits of acting quickly and the recognition of stroke.

SADI provides a direct service to people in Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and the coalfields. It is a service provided by mail, email or telephone. They hold free seminars and workshops on stroke disability and health related issues. They have a lot of knowledge—they know about the health system; they know how people can access that system. If somebody has suffered a stroke or has a disability, they work with them to ensure that they can access all the resources that are available. They hold an annual Disability and Seniors Forum, they link people to community support, they support stroke recovery groups and they advocate on behalf of people who have suffered a stroke and been left with some disability. I would like particularly to acknowledge the work of the coordinator, Juliet Roosendaal, and the special projects officer, Judy Webb-Ryall. They have done fantastic work. They work very well with the community and they are totally dedicated to ensuring that the people of the Hunter are well taken care of and well informed about stroke.

A member of the board, Stuart Chalmers, suffered a stroke in his early forties and has a residual disability. But he has not let that stop him. He has been involved with Caves Beach surf club, he has supervised offenders on weekend detention and he constantly contributes to the community. He continues to contribute to the community through SADI. Stuart was awarded an OAM earlier this year for the work he has done in supporting people who have suffered a stroke and for working with those people in the community. I would also like to acknowledge the work of his very good friend Jim Folwell, who accompanies him on many of his visits to work with people in the community who have had strokes and to raise awareness of strokes. I commend this important motion to the House. (Time expired)

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