Trevor Evans (Brisbane, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Last week was National Stroke Week, and I want to congratulate the Stroke Foundation for their awareness campaign. Kicking off the week in Brisbane, I met with a local support group of young survivors of strokes. I got to meet Emily Benham, who, at age 36, suffered two strokes after going into cardiac arrest. The day started like any other. She was in a florist in Clayfield when, without warning, she slid down the counter, turned purple and stopped breathing. On the way to the royal Brisbane hospital, she suffered two further strokes, and later she found out that her aorta had ruptured almost in two. Emily wanted me to tell her story in parliament today to help raise awareness. She spent two months in hospital. She had the challenge of sourcing services to start her rehabilitation thereafter and faced a major services gap for younger sufferers of strokes. I encourage everybody to read some of the compelling stories on the website of the Stroke Foundation. Join the FAST response team by knowing the signs of a stroke: drooping face, slurring speech or weak arms. Paramedics, nurses and doctors can only treat stroke if Australians recognise the signs and call triple zero immediately.

Emily, thank you for your hard work and advocacy in raising awareness and support for fellow young stroke sufferers. You are an inspiration and a leader for your community.

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