Jenny Ware (Hughes, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In my home state of New South Wales, we are celebrating Seniors Festival. It was a privilege for me recently to facilitate the Stroke Foundation's StrokeSafe speakers event at the St Vincent's aged-care facility at Heathcote within my electorate of Hughes. I thank Paul, from the Stroke Foundation, who provided an informative and collaborative forum through sharing his experiences. Stroke Foundation Australia focuses on prevention and treatment of strokes. My much-loved nanna and my father-in-law both died of complications from strokes, many years ago. Therefore I have maintained an interest ever since in this debilitating condition. The Stroke Foundation partners with the community to prevent stroke, save lives and enhance recovery. This is done through raising awareness, facilitating research and supporting stroke survivors. More than 80 per cent of strokes are preventable. With strokes, the earlier the discovery, the better the recovery. It is not an automatic death sentence. StrokeSafe speakers are volunteers trained in public speaking and experienced in delivering life-saving messages about stroke. Many have either had a stroke themselves or are close to someone who has. This means each presentation is both informative and draws on their own personal experiences, making each talk very important and very powerful. I commend the work of Stroke Foundation Australia and all of the volunteers involved in the StrokeSafe speakers program.