Gordon Reid (Robertson, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Today, I rise to congratulate a very phenomenal woman in my electorate of Robertson, Brenda Booth, who has been named the winner of the President's Achievement Award at the 2024 Stroke Awards. Brenda survived a stroke at the age of 41. Since then, she's been very passionate about improving stroke care within Australia. Across the country, 30 per cent of strokes happen in working-age Australians, with an Australian experiencing a stroke every 19 minutes, and this is why it is so important to ensure that we are all taking the important steps to reduce the likelihood of experiencing a stroke by visiting your GP and undertaking a health check, eating a healthy diet, maintaining an active lifestyle with plenty of exercise, avoiding alcohol and avoiding smoking.

People like Brenda raise awareness and promote effective strategies to avoid strokes. Brenda draws upon her 32 years of experience as a registered nurse and disability case manager to strengthen her advocacy. Brenda continues to dedicate her time to the Stroke Foundation and affiliated organisations on the Central Coast, including as the president of the Working Age Group Stroke. She has been involved with the consumer council, the research advisory committee and the living stroke guidelines. I would like to take this opportunity in the Australian parliament today to acknowledge Brenda's work for stroke awareness across Australia and on the Central Coast. Congratulations, Brenda, on this recognition, and thank you for all you do.