NSW Stroke Awareness Week 2022

Held in the first week of September, NSW Stroke Awareness Week is an annual event that aims to increase awareness of Stroke in the community. The ongoing theme of Stroke Awareness Week NSW is to ‘Recover, Regain and Reclaim’. You can find out about this years Stroke Awareness Week NSW events here.

NSW Stroke Awareness Week 2022 will be held from Monday 5th – Sunday 11th September 2022. During this week, many of our Stroke Recovery Clubs/groups/choirs go out into their local community to fundraise, hold events and increase awareness of Stroke in their area.

Stroke Awareness Week NSW Activities and events

• Events:
  • NSW Stroke Awareness Week launch at NSW Parliament House – Monday 5th September 2022
  • Creating Connections Stroke Conference – Wednesday 7th September 2022
  • Stroke Choir Recital – Thursday 15th September 2022
  • Reps to Recovery Stroke Challenge – Monday 5th September – Sunday 11th September 2022
• Activities organised by Stroke Recovery Clubs/groups/choirs:
  • Information displays in their local community
  • Fundraising events
  • Pen and ribbon fundraising campaign
  • A celebratory morning tea with local health professionals

For more information, or to get involved, contact the Association on 1300 650 594 or email info@strokensw.org.au.

History of Stroke Awareness Week NSW

• 1981 – First Recorded date for Stroke Awareness week.
  • The week began with a Stroke Conference in what was then called “The Year of the Disabled”.
  • The original aim was ‘to raise awareness of Stroke’ within the community.
  • It then developed in to a fundraiser with a lunch being organised to raise awareness of Stroke in the community.
• 1985 – Peggy Limb, Bobby Limb and Dawn Lake were Patrons of the Association.  It was through their personal organisation, that they invited Patricia Neal, a well known English Actor who had had a Stroke, to come to Australia as a guest of the Association, during Stroke Awareness Week.
  • Fundraising focus and managed to gain a considerable amount of sponsorship from Qantas and Westpac.
• 1997 – Stroke Awareness Week Conferences resumed, with Linda Glanfield, then the Stroke CNC at Royal Rehab, and Brian Zeman whose aim was to engage with Stroke Survivors to ensure further education about their Stroke and how to prevent a second Stroke. 
• 2007 – The focus of Stroke Awareness Week changed from only highlighting how to prevent a Stroke to a celebration of the achievements of Stroke Survivors.  As well as an acknowledgement of the collaborative partnership between the Association and NSW Health Stroke Units.
  • Our focus broadened to incorporate both a Stroke Awareness Week launch and the Creating Connections Stroke Conference annually.
  • Important partners in this process have been the Stroke Network at the Sydney Local Health District and a succession of Governors of NSW who have opened their beautiful home to many a Morning Tea or a lovely evening Cocktail Party.
• 2009 – The beginning of the Tartan Ribbon Campaign.
  • The idea of the Tartan Ribbon was developed from the then Director of Stroke Services for the Northern Sydney Local Health District – the indomitable Professor Kate Story.
• 2020 – The Creating Connections Stroke Conference was continued annually, until COVID-19 resulted in the cancellation of the event in 2020.
• 2021 – The Creating Connections Stroke Conference was held entirely online for the first time. This expanded our reach to members, health professionals and students in rural and remote areas from around the state.