summer 2013 the stroke magazine of the irish heart foundation

Spring 2013 Strokelink | 1

The STroke magazine of The iriSh hearT foundaTionSummer 2013

registered Charity number ChY 5507 www.stroke.ie

2 | Strokelink Summer 2013 Spring 2013 Strokelink | 3

ConTenTS

The Irish Heart Foundation is the national char-ity fighting heart disease and stroke.We support, educate and train people to save lives, campaign for patients, promote positive health strategies, support research and provide vital public information.We need your support – through donations, as a volunteer or on our training courses.

Produced by: advocacy department,irish heart foundation, 50 ringsend rd, dublin 4.Tel: 01 668 5001

Email: [email protected] sign up to the Irish Heart Foundation’s Stroke Action campaign: Log on to stroke.ie, or write to the Stroke action campaign at the above address.To keep up to date with all stroke information: please also join our Stroke.ie facebook page.

To unsubscribe: email [email protected] if you no longer wish to receive this magazine.

This magazine is largely funded by public dona-tions to our charity with some additional funding

from advertisers. if you have a story you want us to run, or would like to submit an article, please get in touch with emma-Jane morrissey by calling (01) 6685001.

Designed by: Jm Publishing & mediawww.jmpublishing.ieCopyright of all content in Strokelink is reserved. The views expressed in Strokelink are not necessarily those of the Irish Heart Foundation. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of information published in Strokelink, the publishers can accept no liability.

www.comfortkeepers.ie

Keep your Independence, our carers support you with

tasks that are too difficult to manage alone

From 30 minutes to 24 hours a day 365 days a year

Comfort Keepers Home Care is a real alternative

to nursing home care

Our Team are able to help you...

Call Today 1850 818 100

STAY AT HOME CARING FOR YOUANYTIME ANYWHERE

STAY HAPPY AT HOME

HOME CARE

QUALITY CARE, BUT DON’T JUST TAKE OUR WORD FOR IT

The only homecare companyto be awardedthe ISO 9001,Healthmark

and Q Mark!

The cost of doing nothing

it’s now over 15 months since the government launched its national policy setting out a framework for developing better rehabilitation services for stroke survivors and others with

neurological conditions.Since then it has achieved nothing. not one single life made

better through a strategy that took years to put together.We know there are many possible improvements that would

cost nothing – such as greater integration of services and increased co-operation among different parts of the hSe.

By now these should be in place and we should be campaigning for serious investment in rehabilitation services in hospitals and in the community, along with a system of supports enabling people to maximise their quality of life physically, psychologically, socially and economically.

instead we’re still at square one, still calling for an implementation plan for this national policy , whilst attempting to stave off mounting cumulative cuts that are sinking rehabilitation services to new depths of chronic inadequacy.

meanwhile, the vast majority of the estimated 150,000 people with neurological conditions who need rehabilitation – a large proportion of whom are stroke survivors – continue to suffer the daily indignities large and small resulting from yawning service gaps.

The extent of their ordeal is highlighted in a survey carried out by the neurological alliance of ireland which showed that physio and speech and language therapist services are either inadequate or unavailable for 68% of those who need them; whilst 76% can’t access adequate occupational therapy services; and 78% can’t get proper counselling services.

This represents an unacceptable level of unmet need. and you can’t just blame our economic collapse. Because it costs nothing to draw up an implementation plan and little or nothing to deliver on much of the agenda the State commits to in its national policy.

in essence, these service deficits mean that if you have a stroke, or you’re in a car crash, or if you’re diagnosed with a severe neurological condition, the health system will do its best to save your life. But your quality of life will be largely ignored.

We can’t accept a health service that patches people up and then washes its hands of them. People’s quality of life and their right to get back the best life possible has to matter too.

ContentsThe faST ambulance launch nai rehab manifestodave Bowe Stroke Survivor and musician The ihf Stroke Patient Charter 5 minute interview gemma dunn Smoking and Stroke The 2012 Stroke awards Tony holten a stroke survivor’s story

Cork rehab unit anniversarymovie review “amour” news from the mid-West Social media and Stroke know your blood pressure! recipeBudget Crossword

4.

6. 8.

11.

12.

14. 16. 24.

26.

27.

28.

29.

30.

32. 33. 34.


f.a.S.T. f.a.S.T.

emergency ambulances around the country are doubling up as mobile billboards to help reduce stroke deaths in ireland’s first ever advertisement

campaign using emergency vehicles.They have been wrapped to promote the irish heart

foundation’s act f.a.S.T. campaign on stroke warning signs, in addition to their normal life-saving work, following a unique collaboration between the national ambulance Service and the national charity fighting heart disease and stroke.

The initiative was launched by stroke survivor and fair City star, Jim Bartley, and Co kildare woman aisling macken, who attributes the f.a.S.T. advertisements to surviving her stroke. The aim is to re-ignite the act f.a.S.T. campaign which has contributed to an increase of over 400% in the

numbers of stroke patients receiving potentially life-saving clot-busting treatment called thrombolysis since its launch just over two years ago.

The f.a.S.T. signs are:Face – has the face fallen on one side? Can they smile?Arms – can they raise both arms and keep them there?Speech – is their speech slurred?Time – time to call 999/112 if you see any one of these signs.

So far the emergency ambulances are operating in 11 locations countrywide: Cork, donegal, dublin, galway, kerry, Limerick, Longford, meath, roscommon, Waterford, Wexford.

F.A.S.T. track to a better future “The faST campaign has

had a huge life-saving and quality of life impact in every corner of ireland,” said irish heart foundation head of advocacy, Chris macey.

“But in recent months stroke physicians have been telling us of a significant decline in the numbers getting to hospital in time to be saved. Thanks to the national ambulance Service, we now have an innovative means to put across the faST message which we hope will capture the public imagination all over again.”

The hSe national Stroke Programme estimates that the improved thrombolysis rate in ireland is resulting in significantly improved outcomes for around 200 patients a year and has reduced the numbers requiring institutional care by 140 per annum.

director of the national ambulance Service (naS), robert morton said: “a significant number of naS members have personal experience within their wider families of the potentially devastating effects of a stroke. This personal insight has generated a high degree of intrinsic motivation amongst our managers, control and operational staff to play our part, in collaboration with healthcare colleagues, the national Stroke Programme and the wider public, to deliver better outcomes for victims of stroke. To date, our control staff, paramedics and advanced paramedics have demonstrated consistently high standards of provisional diagnosis of stroke using faST.”

Said stroke survivor Jim Bartley, who plays Bela doyle in rTe soap, fair City: “The thing about stroke is that it can happen to anyone at any time. i had my stroke while reading scripts. i started to get a strange feeling and my right arm started to go numb and when i tried to read, the letters kept jumping on the page. i was lucky and got to hospital on time but everyone, no matter what age, needs to know the faST signs of stroke because it could save your life or the life of someone you know.”

aisling macken was only 30 years old when she

For more information on stroke symptoms, treatment or support see www.stroke.ie or talk to an Irish Heart Foundation nurse on the National Heart & Stroke Helpline on Locall 1890 432 787.

Karl Macken, son of stroke survivor Aisling Macken, shows off his own F.A.S.T. toy ambulance to Paramedic Supervisor James Goldrick at the launch of the Irish Heart Foundation F.A.S.T. ambulance campaign

Robert Morton, Director of the National Ambulance Service with Karl Macken

suffered a stroke just two weeks after the birth of her first baby, karl. her fast-thinking husband graham immediately recognised the stroke symptoms from the advert and aisling was rushed to hospital for treatment. She said: “i had just walked into a garage shop and when i came out, i felt funny and couldn’t remember why i was there. i tried to talk but gibberish came out. if it wasn’t for graham immediately spotting the signs, i know i would not be standing here as i am today. i’m proof that stroke happens without warning and it doesn’t care if you’re young or old. The faST message saved my life.”

hSe national Stroke Programme Joint Clinical Lead, Peter kelly said that the growth in public awareness of stroke warning signs has coincided with a major development of stroke services nationally, including an increase in the number of stroke units from six to 27 and the expansion of 24/7 thrombolysis treatment from a small number of hospitals mainly in urban areas to all hospitals that treat stroke patients. “The f.a.S.T. campaign has enabled us to maximise the impact of the stroke service improvements and it’s vital that the message continues to go out until it is hardwired into the public consciousness,” he said.


rehaB manifeSTorehaB manifeSTo

Survey reveals shocking deficits in vital servicesThe vast majority of people

with serious neurological conditions, including stroke

survivors, are not receiving the rehabilitation services they need to rebuild their lives, a nationwide survey carried out by the neurological alliance of ireland (nai), the umbrella organisation for the country’s neurological sector, has found. (The irish heart foundation is a member of the nai.)

The study of people living with the effects of conditions such as acquired brain injury, stroke, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease and motor neurone disease

revealed that 71% couldn’t access any neuropsychology services at all, whilst for 68% physiotherapy and speech and language therapy were either inadequate or not available.

In addition:• 80% couldn’t access adequate

residential or day services • 78% could not get proper

counselling services • more than half had no

access at all to training or employment support

• over three-quarters couldn’t get enough information or advice on how to access

services or what their benefit entitlements were.

• 76% couldn’t access adequate occupational therapy services

The publication of the survey coincided with the launch in dublin’s mansion house of the nai’s neurorehabilitation manifesto which calls for the urgent implementation of government plans to develop services nationally and to protect voluntary providers of vital neurological services from further funding cuts. The experiences of Cork stroke survivor michael Smithers were featured in the manifesto, along with others across a

range of neurological conditions.irish heart foundation head

of advocacy and nai Chairman Chris macey said that although it is estimated that around 150,000 out of some 700,000 people living with neurological conditions in ireland require ongoing rehabilitation, services across large swathes of the country are fragmented, patchy, or non-existent.

“This study highlights the scandalous absence of services for people whose lives have been saved, but whose quality of life is being virtually ignored after they leave hospital.

“Being in a car crash, having a stroke, or being diagnosed with mS can have a devastating impact both

physically and psychologically. our health service can’t just exist to patch patients up and then wash its hands of them. We have to help people get back as much of their lives as possible after they are struck by neurological conditions.”

The biggest deficits recorded in the survey were in neuropsychology services which each year are required by around 50,000 people with neurological conditions nationwide. however, just 20 neuropsychologists are currently in post for the entire country when the number required is around three times that.

Principal Clinical neuropsychologist at Beaumont hospital, dr niall Pender, said that patients missing out on vital psychological treatment “are suffering unnecessarily and this will have a serious impact on their functional ability, employment possibilities and education”.

“neuropsychologists work across the lifespan and work with children and families following brain injury and return to school. They work in facilitating diagnostics and measuring cognitive changes following injuries and illnesses. in later life they are a necessary part of a memory clinic in assisting the diagnosis of dementia. There are other specialist roles in the pre-surgical assessment of epilepsy and in the assessment of mental capacity,” he added.

mr macey said that neurorehabilitation services in ireland are recognised to be the worst in europe. and even if the improvements being sought were

implemented, they would still be worse than those in any other european country with the exception of the uk.

“for example, we currently have 7 consultants to serve specialist neurorehabilitation needs across the whole country. But even if we had 50 we would still have the lowest number per capita in europe with the exception of the uk. and if it increased to 150, we would still be behind countries like estonia, Latvia, Czech republic, Croatia and Serbia.

“in other words, what we are really aspiring to is not to have services that any country could be proud of, or even services that are mediocre – but to be the second worst country in europe for neurorehabilitation”.

nai development manager mags rogers added that it was important to understand that six successive years of hSe cuts to disability- funded not-for-profit organisations continue to have a disproportionate impact on people with neurological conditions. “ireland relies on these not for profit groups to provide specialised neurological care and rehabilitation. We just don’t have the framework of State services that other countries take for granted and these organisations have stepped in to meet the huge unmet need.”

She said that despite the fact that the government’s neurorehabilitation policy accepts service improvements would be cost effective, to date it has refused to make even minimal funding available to implement necessary reorganisation and streamlining of existing services.

This study highlights the scandalous absence of services for people whose lives have been saved, but whose quality of life is being virtually ignored after they leave hospital.

“

”

Emma Rogan MS Ireland pictured outside Leinster House with other member of the Neurological Alliance of Ireland (NAI). The reference to ‘1 in 5000’ highlights the 1 in 5000 people who get to see a neurologist within one year.

Members of Acquired Brain In-jury (ABI) Ireland pictured outside Leinster House

Alexis Donnelly and Chris Macey at launch of NAI manifesto


dave BoWe

Thank you for the music

When 24-year-old singer-songwriter dave Bowe was struck down by a massive stroke it appeared his prospects of launching a suc-cessful music career were over before they had started.

after three weeks in intensive care, the talented Portlaoise man was left with significant nerve damage and chronic pain in his right leg, coupled with the threat of sporadic paralysis. on top of that he had lost the ability to play his beloved guitar.

But incredibly, just two years later, dave’s musical ambitions are firmly back on track following gigs in various parts of the country supporting some of the country’s best known acts like glen hansard and damien rice, an appearance on national radio and the launch last July of his debut eP – Japanese Writing.

The road to recovery has been long and painstaking though – both physically and psychologically. dave says that whilst physiotherapy ses-sions taught him how to manage his chronic physical pain, he was beset by confusion about why all this was happening to him.

This turmoil combined with the effects of memory loss and co-ordination difficulties inevitably led to depression. it was only when he sought counsel-ling sessions that dave finally began to adapt to life after stroke and to start thinking about music again.

Says dave: “not knowing why i had my stroke was the worst part, nobody seemed to be able to figure why it happened to me and at one stage i was very low... i have been attending a counsellor for the past 8 months and i can honestly say that i wouldn’t have been in any fit shape otherwise”.

although he was a music performance graduate of CSn in Cork, which has produced the likes of mick flannery, o emperor and fred, if it wasn’t for his stroke dave might have given up on music. When it struck he had taken up a job in the family business in Portlaoise after taking a year out to travel and had no firm plans to earn a living from his first love.

dave also found solace in the work of the irish heart foundation’s Stroke Campaign. as a young person suffering from stroke, dave found himself isolated from his peers and full of questions about his stroke. The discus-

a love of music helped dave Bowe overcome his stroke. now he has launched a promising music career after re-learning how to play the guitar.

dave BoWe

Singer- songwriter Dave Bowe at the launch of his EP “Japanese Writing” Dave has gigged alongside acclaimed musicians such as Damien Rice (above) and ‘Frames’ front-man Glen Hansard (pictured here with “Once” co-star Margeta Irglova)


PaTienT CharTer

Not knowing why I had my stroke was the worst part, nobody seemed to be able to figure why it happened to me and at one stage I was very low... I have been attending a counsellor for the past 8 months and I can honestly say that I wouldn’t have to been in any fit shape otherwise

“

”

dave BoWe

sion forum on www.stroke.ie , the Stroke action facebook page and @strokeaction Twitter stream provided dave with a means of reaching out to other young stroke survivors and learn from their collec-tive experience of stroke.

in this way, dave found the resolve to pursue his dream, drawing on the strength of the other mem-bers of the stroke community in ireland. dave credits the work of the irish heart foundation’s Stroke action campaign as it provided key information to help him understand his stroke, how to cope with the effects of it, and crucially, put him in touch with other stroke survivors. in fact, dave made contact with Strokelink through the Strokeaction facebook page- sending the campaign a message of thanks - “Thank you for all the good work you do...reading stories of how people have recovered and got their life back on track has helped to get me in the posi-tion that i am in today and back doing the one thing i love most- playing music! “

But even after finding the resolve to pick up his guitar again, dave still had a long way to go. “af-ter the stroke, i had nerve damage in my hands, i couldn’t put them in the right position and i couldn’t move quick enough to get rhythm,” he recalls. “i have always been able to put my hand to any instrument and to wake up one morning and find i’m not able to do it, was a huge shock.. my main problem has been my memory. i could be playing songs that i have practised 100 times before and and then you go on

to play and you haven’t got a clue - so i bring lyric sheets and hide them around the stage. it’s a pain but it needs to be done.”

as his confidence began to return, dave began to focus on kick-starting his music career, getting a few gigs and writing new songs. his Japanese Writing eP has been described as a “treasure” by music crit-ics and is laden with powerful and emotive lyrics. dave’s determination to succeed has also proved unquestionable as he progressed to playing his gui-tar again, recording the eP, undertaking a three week blitz of gigs and an appearance on the popular ray foley Show on Today fm.

Throughout this steady rise, dave recounts how his memory and coordination are affected after stroke: song words can be difficult to remember, guitar strings are just millimetres out of his reach and energy levels are depleted. But he is determined to overcome these challenges and credits his stroke with giving him the vision to realise his dreams as a recording artist. in conversation with Strokelink, his message is resound-ing - “if there’s something you want to do, then do it... why wait?”

Dave Bowe’s EP ‘Japanese Writing’ is available on iTunes.

Sign up and help stroke survivors

The irish heart foundation (ihf) has launched a ground-breaking Charter to inform the country’s total of 10,000 new stroke patients every year

about the services they should receive during their hospital stay.

The Stroke Patient Charter was developed by the ihf Stroke Council essentially as an easy-to-read version of the national clinical guidelines that sets out the best possible patient journey, from the time 999 is called to the follow-up after the patient’s acute treatment, rehab and discharge from hospital.

The foundation is asking as many people as pos-sible to log on to stroke.ie and endorse the Charter. This will increase pressure on hospitals not attain-ing the highest standards in acute stroke and rehab care to up their game.

Said ihf head of advocacy, Chris macey: “We know that high quality stroke care saves lives and quality of life on an enormous scale. for example, it’s estimated that being treated in a fully staffed and equipped stroke unit can reduce the risk of death by 25%, whilst receiving clot-busting throm-bolysis can also have a massive positive impact on patient outcomes.

“Therefore, it’s absolutely crucial that stroke pa-tients and their families know what acute and rehab services they should be getting.”

The Charter details the scans and tests a patient needs; the medical, nursing and therapy staff who should provide their treatment; the elements involved with their rehabilitation plan; and the in-formation and support they should receive before, during and after discharge.

“The Charter came about after the irish heart foun-dation Council on Stroke drew up national guide-lines to ensure the highest pos-sible standards in the delivery of stroke care in hospitals around the country,” added mr macey. “our aim was to translate this into something that

patients and their families can understand.”he added that organisations or individuals who

believe the Charter provides important information for stroke patients should endorse it by logging on to stroke.ie and filling in the Charter form.

You can also download the Charter free of charge by logging on to stroke.ie, or we will post a hard copy to you if you contact us at 01-668 5001, or by writing to the Irish Heart Foundation at 50 Ringsend Rd Dublin 4.

We know that high quality stroke care saves lives and quality of life on an enormous scale

“

”

Endorse the IHF Stroke Patient at www.stroke.ie


neWS round-uPSTroke forum

5 Minute Interview with gemma dunn, stroke CnS at South Tipperary general hospital

“Support groups play a crucial role in a stroke survivor’s recovery”What’s the best thing about your role as clinical nurse specialist in Stroke?

The best part of my role is meeting the patients and their families. most of my patients come to the Stroke unit with a deficit, to see them leaving improved is very rewarding. i enjoy building relationships with the patients and their families and knowing that my work is making a difference in their recovery. When patients come to the stroke unit, they are often frightened and in need of assurance. i aim to provide them with that assurance. Co-ordinating services such as occupational therapy and speech and language therapy is very im-portant. Staffing shortages are so acute that i’ve had to find ways to complement this therapy.

i have devised ways in which families can assist the stroke patient in their recovery. for instance, we have diY speech therapy sessions every day. We practice words and sounds and try to regain speech deficits. in this way, we are overcoming the funding and staffing shortages together and empowering patients to take responsibility for their own recovery.

You mention funding and staffing shortages, would these be the most frustrating elements of the job?

Like most health services, the stroke unit is understaffed and oversubscribed. Capacity is at four beds and yesterday alone five stroke patients were admitted into

the hospital. Because there is a queue for the unit, we are trying to keep the maximum duration of stay at two weeks. it can be very busy in here - i’m usually rushed off my feet!

one of the most frustrating things in my role as a stroke nurse is the lack of community rehabilitation services and facilities in the region. Younger stroke pa-tients can find it very difficult to access services which are often limited to over 65s. recently a 20 year old woman come into the unit. it was obvious she would need intensive rehabilitation and i tried desperately to help her access nearby services. i made contact with several organisations in the vicinity, and eventually, but only after much wrangling, we got her a referral for the national rehabilitation hospital in dun Laoghaire. Similarly, another patient in her 50s found it impossible to access services on her discharge from the unit. it is so frustrating to see a patient, especially one who has made great progress during their stay, leave the unit and not be able to access the level of service required to maintain the progress they have made in recovery.

You also coordinate the Clonmel Stroke Support group, why do you think it is important for stroke survivors to take part in these groups? Yes, i coordinate the group in Clonmel with my col-league Sandra hickey. i really believe stroke support groups play a crucial role in a stroke survivor’s recovery. essentially, they provide emotional and psychological

support for stroke survivors, their families and car-ers. at our monthly sessions, stroke survivors share their stories and offer advice based on their own personal experience. We also aim to provide advice and information for those attending the support group; we have had sessions on social welfare rights and the types of services that a patient should be able to access after stroke. Sandra is also a qualified psychotherapist who can offer counselling to the members, which has proved very popular and this is an aspect of recovery which is often overlooked.

i’m also a member of the hospital’s governing body on stroke. This means that i can provide feedback from stroke survivors and patients to the hospital administration. it’s really important that there’s a link there and that the governing body is aware of the needs of the stroke community. The support group provides a great forum for identi-fying these needs and highlighting them to the governing body.

There are 14 regular attendees of the group and

they meet on the first Tuesday of every month. for some members i believe the group is a lifeline, providing them with a vital support network and for some it may be their only social outlet.

What three improvements would you wish for in the hSe?

i would wish the hSe to focus on stroke services, place more staff on the frontline and make greater provision for the education of stroke nurses. above all, i would love some more staff for the stroke unit! equipment is also in short supply, for instance i would love to be able to buy some new hoists for the unit. We have been able to buy some new equipment ourselves – this has been down to fund-raising such as raffles, fancy dress, cake sales, a run with the local athletic association and we’re looking into doing some bag-packing.

Gemma Dunn with colleague and some small friends Gemma with Mayor Of Clonmel, Billy Shoer and colleague


Smoking afTer STrokeSmoking afTer STroke

Smoking after strokeincreases death risk

Stroke survivors who return to active smoking are three times more likely to die within a year than those who quit for good, new research

has shown.The study carried out in italy among almost 1,000

stroke sufferers who had previously been smokers showed that around half took up the habit again within 12 months and almost 10% died in that time.

Speaking on the eve of World Stroke day, irish heart foundation medical director, dr angie Brown said: “Continuing to smoke after stroke is extremely dangerous and could cost you your life just one year after surviving your stroke. This World Stroke day we call on all smokers after stroke to quit today and live longer tomorrow. a stroke is a serious medical emer-

gency which often proves fatal and for those who do survive, recovery can mean many months of tough rehabilitation. By continuing to smoke, patients not only risk undoing the hard work of their recovery but they are risking their lives and may not see their next birthday a year later because of it.”

The study showed that those who resumed smok-ing just 10 days after a stroke, were five times more likely to die within a year than those who stayed off the cigarettes. everyone surveyed received brief smoking cessation counselling during their hospital stay and did stop smoking for that time. But the pa-tients received no further advice once out of hospital. researchers recommended the introduction of pro-grammes to “help stroke patients quit smoking with a

comprehensive long-term approach, including indi-vidual counselling, post-dis-charge support and pharma-cological treatment”.

dr Brown continued: “at the irish heart foundation we know quitting smoking is not easy and we encourage smokers after stroke to get in touch with our nurses on the national heart & Stroke helpline Locall 1890 432 787 to receive advice, tips and support or to download our Quit Smoking leaf-let today on www.irishheart.ie. The good news is, it’s never too late to quit smoking and the benefits start to happen immediately.”

according to the irish heart foundation Quit Smoking leaflet, after 20 minutes of smoking, blood pressure and pulse rate return to normal. after just three days of quitting, breathing is easier and energy levels increase. after three months, circulation improves and the risk of heart attack and stroke reduces. (See www.irishheart.ie).

meanwhile separate research showed that sensible drinking can substantially reduce your risk of a stroke, but only if you don’t enjoy a cigarette at the same time. The study of over 20,000 people in the uk found non-smokers who drank moderate amounts were nearly 40% less likely to have a stroke than non-drinkers. But once cigarettes were added, this protective effect vanished.

Continuing to smoke after stroke is extremely dangerous and could cost you your life just one year after surviving your stroke

“

”

The introduction of pictorial warnings on tobacco products began on 1 February 2013.


STroke aWardSSTroke aWardS

True GritThe irish heart foundation Stroke awards showed that real heroes come in lots of different shapes and sizes

Graham Macken ACT FAST Awardgraham was nominated by his wife ashling for acting faST when she had a stroke in 2010. aisling had given birth to the couple’s first son karl two weeks earlier. on halloween night, the couple were in their local shop with their baby to buy sweets for trick-or-treaters. aisling recalls that her mind went blank, but when she tried to tell graham she wasn’t feeling well she couldn’t get the words out. immediately graham recognised the signs of stroke from the faST campaign and brought aisling straight to hospital. her attack was probably caused by the stress of labour and graham’s quick thinking was critical to her recovery. Two years on, she has made a great recovery and is enjoying life with graham and karl.

Award winners

Jim Bartley Stroke Ambassador AwardSixty-six year-old Jim had a stroke in June 2011 whilst reading scripts for his role as Bela in rTe soap, fair City. he phoned his gP who immediately sent him to hospital. Jim presented an award at last year’s Stroke awards and since then has tirelessly shared his own story and given support to countless stroke survivors. his nomination cited his “unique warmth and down to earth honesty”, along with his great compassion and desire to help other stroke survivors to rebuild their lives.

Graham Macken and Aisling Macken

Stroke Ambassador Jim Bartley

Broadcaster Marty Whelan with some young award winners at the Irish Heart Foundation Stroke Awards 2012.

from toddlers and teenagers to a soap star and an abseiling daredevil, they’re 14 people

you’d think have absolutely nothing in common. But one quality con-nects the irish heart foundation/Boehringer ingelheim national Stroke award recipients – and that’s their extraordinary courage.

for each award winner that brav-ery took on a very different form. for four-year-old dubliner rebecca Lawlor, it was the struggle of learn-ing to walk again after a stroke. for Waterford man alan Corcoran, it was the gruelling task of running 35 mar-

athons in 35 days to raise awareness of the disease that struck his father. and for 82-year-old noel kerrigan it’s the tough reality of round the clock care for his wife of almost 60 years.

They assembled, along with family and friends, at a glittering ceremony in dublin’s gibson hotel hosted by rTe personality marty Whelan, along with special guest dana rosemary Scallon whose own mother suffered a stroke at the age of 91.

in addition to little rebecca, two other children received awards, seven-year-old oisin ryan-Blake from Limerick and 10-year-old abby

o’keeffe from Waterford who both stunned doctors by their strength of character in the face of devas-tating strokes.

Joint winners of the Young Per-son’s Courage award were 26-year-old rachel dufficy from Leixlip in kildare and to 18-year-old ronan o’keeffe from Trim in meath. Both rachel and ronan have endured tough challenges in order to regain their mobility and get back to where they were before their strokes so they can start living independent lives.

Wicklow man Brian Quinlan, aged 70 who can no longer speak, was honoured for his inventive-ness in creating his very own brand of communication using nothing but a photobook, diary and a map and he received the adult Cour-age award for over 65s. in kildare, graham macken won the act faST award after his wife suffered a stroke just two weeks after giving birth to their first baby.

Paramedic Joe o’donoghue, from Clonmel in Tipperary has also helped to spread the irish heart foundation’s vital act faST message as a stalwart supporter of his local stroke support group, after the tables were turned when he himself suffered a stroke four years ago.

meanwhile thrill-seeking 72-year-old dave henshaw from athy, kildare received the Life af-ter Stroke award in recognition of his ‘can-do’ attitude after abseiling down buildings for charity. The active pensioner has not only sur-vived a stroke in his life but also a

heart attack and brain tumour.

margaret dono-ghue, from dublin jointly won the Carer’s award for her unstint-ing support in caring for her 31-year-old daughter karen after stroke, whilst mary J foley received the Stroke Support group award for her dedica-tion and tireless effort in bringing stroke survivors together in Cork city.

But the best known award recipient of all was undoubtedly fair City star Jim Bartley, better known as Bela doyle who received the Stroke ambas-sador award for his willingness to share his own personal stroke story to raise awareness of the seri-ous illness.

unable to attend the event due to film-ing commitments, the irish heart foundation surprised Jim with his award at rehearsal when a tear-filled Jim said: “i don’t know what to say. Thank you. i am very hon-oured and touched to receive this Stroke ambassador award. We all have our tough times and there are so many stroke survivors who are equally de-serving of this award and i believe this is a joint award for me and for them.”



Milo Corcoran and son Alan

Joe O’Donoghue, recipient of an Adult Courage Award

Alan CorcoranBoehringer Ingelheim Stroke Champion Award Waterford man alan ran 35 marathons in 35 days to raise awareness and funds for the ihf faST campaign. inspired to take up the gargantuan challenge after watching his father and former fai President milo Corcoran battle to recover from the stroke he had last year, the 21-year-old overcame severe leg and back pains on what was effectively a lap of ireland. in the course of his 35-day epic run, alan put stroke on the map not only for his father, but for thousands of survivors and their families nationwide.

Dave Henshaw Life after Stroke Awardeight years ago, 72 year-old dave had a stroke that left him with 90% loss of power in his left arm and loss of balance, causing him to walk with a cane. he was nominated by his wife Pat in recognition of his “can do attitude and determination that no stroke or disability will prevent him having an active retirement”. The recently elected chairman of age action ireland leads by example, organising events and advocating the rights of older people in his hometown of athy, Co kildare. despite also surviving a heart attack and a brain tumour, dave has abseiled down the irish Life building, paraglided in Cyprus and has learned to scuba dive. his next plan is a parachute jump. Sadly, Pat died shortly before the awards ceremony. Dave Henshaw with his grand-daughter receiving his award from

Dana Rosemary Scallon and Ken Murphy, Boehringer Ingelheim

Brian QuinlanAdult Courage AwardBrian, aged 70, from arklow Co Wicklow had a stroke 10 years ago that left him without speech and severely reduced his ability to read and write. in the face of these challenges, he has learned to communicate in other ways. for example, Brian has a book of photos of all his family and friends and a diary that he can show to anyone to describe himself. gradually he has been able to read a little more and has mastered the use of an iPhone in recent months. he has a number of very useful apps which help him get his message across and is now able to text friends and family. he has learned to drive again and whittles wooden toys for his grandchildren.

a keen amateur actor and musician, Brian was nominated by his friend Lua mcilraith who described him as a terrific actor, singer and comedian with a great talent for mimicry – Charlie haughey being a speciality. She added that Brian’s never ending battle to create the best possible quality of life for himself was an inspiration to everyone who knows him.

Joe, a paramedic in Clonmel for the past eight years, woke up in bed with a severe cramp in his leg. Thankfully, he had the knowledge and calmness to ensure he was hospitalised urgently after he realised he was showing signs of having a stroke. he has come a long way since that night on may 25, 2008. Joe was out of work for 14 months as he went through the rehab process in the hands of a multidisciplinary team at South Tipperary general and the stroke assessment unit in Cashel hospital.

Joe spends up to 20 hours a week pursuing his interest in cycling and loves taking part in social cycling events such as the Sean kelly Tour, The ring of kerry and other events. in addition, he has been active promoting faST awareness of stroke in his local media and is a prominent member of the Clonmel Stroke Support Club. his nominator and colleague, nurse gemma mcLaughlin describes him as “a truly amazing stroke survivor and an inspiration to everyone who meets him.”

Brian Quinlan and Lua McIlraith

Joe O’Donoghue Adult Courage Award



Change caption Oisin with mum Cathy and grandfather Denis

Rachel Dufficy Young People’s Courage Award rachel was only 24 when she suffered a stroke, shortly after completing a college degree and landing her dream job. The stroke caused complete right side paralyses and severely affected her speech. after three days she was able to make a small sound and from that day she fought to regain a little more power in her voice every day. her family had to fight to get her the rehab she needed as well as trying to cope with the turmoil around her. now almost three years on she is driving, she has completed work placements, she went back to college and is currently doing an internship.

Oisin Ryan Blake Child Courage Award Seven-year-old oisin collapsed with a severe pain in his head which medical experts later described as a ‘catastrophic event’ involving a bleed to the brain. his grandfather denis spent every waking minute by oisin’s bedside for 11 weeks straight, to see his grandson through a double craniotomy and eight weeks of rehabilitation. denis said: “oisin’s sheer willpower and determination for one so young is incredible and he keeps striving to get back to what he loves most, his sports – soccer, rugby and hurling. The last six months have been tough but oisin has kept his mum, family and me going with a smile and joke for everyone, no matter if he was on his way to theatre or waking up after one of his procedures.”

Abby O Keeffe Child Courage Award Ten-year-old Waterford girl abby o’keeffe is back at school again and is learning to write with her left hand after a remarkable recovery from the stroke she suffered in the summer of 2011. her mum, Paula said: “abby’s stroke completely turned our worlds upside down and has left abby without the use of her right hand. But abby has such an amazing spirit and this is really what has kept us going through our darkest days. homework is a challenge and fatigue hits her hard, but we just take each day as it comes. abby never gives up and this keeps me and the rest of the family going.”

Abby O’Keeffe with her Child Courage Award

Ronan O’Keeffe Young People’s Courage Award

ronan, aged 18 from Trim Co meath, was born with hydrocephalus. he had two Spitz holter valves inserted and has epilepsy. aged two, ronan suffered a stroke, which resulted in the insertion of another valve and an ongoing tremor in his right hand. he was nominated by his aunt maura, she says he “always sees the best in everyone” and is the most positive person she knows. he is an excellent golfer and keen swimmer and completed the Leaving Cert applied this summer. he is currently in the middle of a pre university access Course which will prepare him for independent living.

Rachel Dufficy with her aunt Christina receiving her award from Marty Whelan and Dana Rosemary Scallon

Ronan with his parents Siobhan and Denis O’Keeffe



Rebecca Lawlor Child Courage Award

Mary J Foley Stroke Support Group Awardmary J works as an advanced nurse practitioner in St finbarr’s hospital Cork. The Stroke Support group she established two years ago has quickly become among the most active and well attended nationwide. group member, author Tony holten describes mary J as ‘an ideas person, but also a listener’ who puts the participants’ ideas into action. The group recently held a Boccia tournament and now plans to hold a nationwide event in 2013. another example of mary’s pro-active approach as group facilitator has been the highly successful talks she has arranged, such as the presentation by uk rehabilitation expert Tom Balchin on stroke survivor recovery.

Mary J Foley from Cork Stroke Support Group, winner of the Support Group Award

Noel Kerrigan Carer’s Awardnoel, aged 82, has been married to his wife Christina for almost 60 years and together they have raised nine children. eight years ago his wife had a dense stroke and he has been her main carer since. he showers her and dresses her every day. he ensures she is immaculately dressed and has maintained her health so well that she hasn’t needed an antibiotic for years. his daughter Caroline says that her parents really give credence to their marriage vows of in ‘sickness and in health’.

Margaret Donohue Carer’s Awardmargaret received an unprecedented number of 65 individual nominations for the Carer’s award. margaret’s daughter had a stroke just before her 29th birthday august 2011 which resulted in left side paralysis and speech difficulties. The various nominations describe how margaret attended the hospital and cared for karen each day for five months, always with a smile on her face. When she was due to come home, margaret had the house adapted and each day ensures she does exercises that aid her recovery. The nominations describe her devotion and tireless attitude to her daughter’s needs. She is also described as loving, smiling and positive with a ‘never give up’ approach to the huge challenges karen is facing.

Noel Kerrigan receiving his Stroke Award from Dana Rosemary Scallon Rosemary Scallon. Pictured also are Marty Whelan, Noel’s daughter Caroline and Ken Murphy from Boehringer Ingelheim

Margaret Donohue and daughter Karen

Rebecca Lawlor with her mum Irena and Dana Rosemary Scallon

four-year-old rebecca Lawlor from Tyrrellstown in dublin was the youngest award recipient. a year ago she suffered a serious stroke which kept her in hospital for a month followed by four months of intensive rehabilitation learning to walk again. according to her mum irena, rebecca’s resilience and positivity has been nothing short of inspirational.

The mother of three, said: “i’ll never forget the day it happened. The children had chicken pox, but rebecca didn’t show too many signs at the time. Then one day she fell asleep in the middle of playing. We realised she had a temperature and when we placed her in a cool bath, she had a seizure so we called the ambulance.

“Throughout her hospital stay, she had to have scans and injections, but she never once complained, not even when she was in a wheelchair. eventually rebecca started walking again. i never thought we’d get through it, but we did. i don’t think i’ve met anybody as brave in my life. our rebecca is one in a million.”


TonY hoLTen TonY hoLTen

Back from

Tony holten spent much of his early life travelling the world as a marine engi-neer. he was diagnosed with diabetes

at the age of 48, and due to a combination of late diagnosis and poor control he suffered many side effects. Severe eyesight dam-age led to a period of partial blindness and eventually, in 1999, Tony suffered a stroke that left him paralysed on his right side. it had a devastating effect on his personal life, resulting in the loss of his job and a period of readjustment for his family as they came to terms with the extent of his disability.

author Tony holten’s life story is a message of hope for stroke sufferers

in the years since, however, Tony has adapted to life after stroke and is always keen to pass on the message of hope to other stroke survivors. This positive outlook shines through Tony’s book A Stroke of Luck which details his attack and subsequent battles with the irish health sector, as well as his extraordinary efforts to rehabilitate himself at home.

after three and a half weeks in hospital and just two sessions of physiotherapy, Tony was, in his own words, “cast out into the wilderness” typified by chronic service deficits. he was eventually successful in his attempts to obtain therapeutic services and 18 months after his stroke, Tony was admitted to the national rehabilitation hospital in dun Laoghaire, some 250km from his home in glanmire, Cork.

Tony’s message is clear when advising patients immediately after stroke – “get your head where you’re at”. he stresses that self responsibil-ity is key, learning not to depend too much on others. and in this vein, he is adamant that maintaining a positive attitude to life after stroke is crucial. Tony credits the Cork Stroke Support group with instilling in him a positive attitude and encouraging him during rockier times. The group meets each month and the members engage in lively discussion as they share experiences and swaps tips on life after stroke. This sense of cama-raderie compelled Tony to share his story with a wider audience.

A Stroke of Luck was born out of his own positive attitude and desire to support other stroke survivors. he believes one of the most important aspects of the path to recovery is avoiding feelings of loneliness or isolation, exactly what the Stroke Support groups aim to do. These group sessions have given Tony a focus and a sense of purpose. Tony began to write the book as a means of reassuring other stroke survivors;

allowing him to channel his energy into something positive and for the benefit of others. he undertook to publish the book himself and this led him to a new found passion which now consumes most of his daily life. Tony is now on his sixth book. his latest, a feature of the river Boyne from source to sea has led him to taking trips down the historic river with the Boyne river rescue Team.

all in all, Tony’s day to day life after stroke has changed profoundly since his days on the oil rigs. gradu-ally and throughout the years he has been forced to take responsibil-ity for his own recovery. Physically, he has adapted to previous simple tasks such as showering or teeth-washing, initially using his unaffect-ed left hand and gradually regaining control of his right hand. he has also drawn on his engineering skills, and developed innovative tools to aid his recovery. Tony describes re-learning to drive a nail by ardent practice with a block of wood and a hammer. he has also created a bal-ancing device for himself; frustrated by its lack of availability from his local health centre, he developed his own product which has allowed him to practice and adjust much of his balance himself. These effective and inexpensive tools have added im-measurably to the quality of Tony’s day to day routine. he believes regu-lar attendance at the gym has been vital in building his strength and he has also been accepted for pilot use of the sophisticated Bioness nerve stimulator, all in the aim of overcom-ing the challenges to daily life posed by stroke. Tony knows he can’t fix his stroke but he intends to do all he can to overcome the challenges posed by it. he is also determined to inspire confidence in fellow stroke survivors and strongly implores that “you must keep working at it... and never give up hope”.

you must keep working at it... and never give up hope

“

”

the wilderness


rePorT from Cork amour

Rehab unit’s birthday bashPatients past and present, healthcare professionals

and other well wishers turned out in force for a birth-day party with a difference in Cork – the one year

anniversary of the opening of the stroke rehabilitation unit in finbarr’s hospital.

The dynamic 10-bed unit is part of ireland’s largest dedicated rehabilitation service for older people operating within the hospital, which boasts a grand total of 72-beds.

reflecting international evidence, the unit has demon-strated the benefits of focused intervention for patients and the need for a multidisciplinary team to cover all as-pects of stroke care. The team includes medical, nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, clinical nutrition, speech and language therapy, social work and ancillary staff. Best practice guidelines, ongoing assessment, goal setting, discharge planning, education and data col-lection are key elements of the person centred, quality driven service.

referral pathways are from the acute services in Cork university hospital and the mercy university hospital; with 50% of patients admitted to the stroke rehabilitation unit within one week post stroke; with a current average length of stay of 42 days.

Patients and Multi Disciplinary Team of St Finabarr’s Hospital, Douglas

Stroke Unit Staff, St Finabrr’s Hospital Douglas

earlier, more intense and better coordinated rehabilitation assists patients in achieving their optimal functional outcome. This is reflected in significant improvement in all areas includ-ing mobility, self care and continence. in the 12 month period, this reduction in disability meant that only 4% of patients were transferred to long term residential care. ongoing monitoring of patients is vital to reduce the risk of second-ary complications and mortality rate which currently stands at 2.6%.

at the anniversary event, the Clinical nurse manager, ms. anita ryan outlined the activity of the unit & plans for the future. Consultant geri-

atrician dr. Paul gallagher acknowledged the com-mitment of the team and importance of close working relations with the acute ser-vices and on-site resources including the assessment and Treatment Centre and the Stroke Support group. Chris macey, head of advo-cacy, irish heart foundation congratulated all involved in the St finbarr’s Stroke reha-bilitation unit, making refer-ence to the recent launch of the neuro rehabilitation manifesto calling for the urgent implementation of government plans to devel-op services nationally and to protect voluntary providers of vital neurological services from further funding cuts.

Love and painfilm review

emmanuelle riva, at 86 years of age is the oldest ever actress to receive an oscar nomination for

her portrayal of a stroke sufferer in the acclaimed film amour. alongside co-star Jean-Louis Trintignant she gives a pow-erful and moving performance in this bracing portrait of love.

anne and georges are retired music teachers in their 80s, living in a book-lined Paris apartment with a baby grand piano. Their daughter, who is also a mu-sician, lives abroad with her family. The couple are happy, affectionate, loving; active and content. But one day, anne suffers the first of a series of strokes which paralyse one arm, making playing her beloved piano impossible, accompa-nied by progressive dementia.

This film follows the travails of georges as he single-handedly cares for anne, intent on rejecting all support from the outside world. gradually, the once idyllic apartment becomes a besieged place

where well-meaning visitors are turned away, nurses discharged from their du-ties and even their own daughter cannot reach out to her parents.

however, this besieged place also transpires to be a loving cocoon. george does all he can for his ailing wife, from hoisting her into her shower, reading her stories and feeding her diligently. he undertakes all of this in his own stoic fashion yet is unwavering in his optimism. at the same time, we are privy to anne’s steady decline, her ongoing hallucinations, her resignation to fate and the effect of all of this on their enduring bond.

director michael haneke is known for his intimate style and at times, amour is hard to watch; it documents the diffi-culty and pain of watching someone you love suffer and not being able to do any-thing about it. for some readers it may be too intense, too real, yet its compel-ling tenderness cannot be denied.

Amour is available on DVD


LimeriCk STroke SuPPorT grouP SoCiaL media

Mid-West Awake dennis murphy, Chairman of the mid-Western Stroke Support group provided an update from one of the country’s most active clubs

These are busy times for the mid-Western Stroke Support club which recently moved into more central and suitable hQ premises in Limerick city.

The opening was widely featured in the local media. The new premises, suitably sign-posted and open

daily, have become a drop-in centre for people seek-ing information and help on stroke and related issues. many of the club’s regular activities will continue, such as co-ordination, administration, planning and commit-tee meetings. The committee has been busy mapping out activities for 2013; we hope to reach and help more and more stroke survivors in the region. We aim to run workshops in physiotherapy and /or speech therapy for small groups in the new grattan Street premises.

The main weekly activities for members of the Tues-

day group continue to be held in the Park retirement village in Castletroy, with the kind co-operation of the management. The exercises classes, therapy sessions, games, crosswords, music, guest speakers, and of course the craic, are very popular with everybody.

most of last year’s “external” events will be repeated in 2013. The highlight of the 2012 calendar was the beau-tiful summer’s day outing in June to the magnificent vandeleur gardens in kilrush, Co Clare, followed by lunch overlooking kilkee bay, and a sing-song in the coach on the journey home. What a great day out that was for our stroke survivors and their carers.

The very popular sessions in the hydrotherapy pool at St gabriel’s Centre in Limerick have started again thanks to funding from the national Lottery.

Stroke’s a heavy twitter hitter! Thank you to all of you following

Stroke action on Twitter, facebook, etc.

Together, we have built a vibrant and exciting online community. Through these free and easy to use media, we’ve shared stories, swapped photos and kept each other up to date on the progress of the stroke campaign.

We have also touched on more serious subjects, ensuring you’re always aware of developments in the national Stroke Programme and the latest news on budgetary and legislative manners. We’re not adverse to some fun either and light hearted, inspirational pictures have been amongst our most popular posts.

over on www.stroke.ie, the discussion forum is bringing together all types of Stroke Survivors, sharing stories about life after stroke and providing comfort and reassurance. We need your help to keep the conversation flowing so please if you ever have a question or a story to share, why not jot in down in the forum?

if you’re not yet a ‘follower’ or ‘fan’ please log on and find us at www.facebook.com/strokeaction, www.stroke.ie/stroke-forum or Twitter @Strokeaction. don’t forget to tell your friends about us too!

Here are some of our most popular posts; they’ve reached audiences as far away as Australia, Africa and Norway- never underestimate the power of social media!

This has been one of our most popular posts on Face-book. It is a portrait of a couple that has gone viral since being posted online. In all, over 1.4 million people have viewed including 1,050 of our fans on Stroke Action Face-book. American photographer Matthew Ballestero took it at his local coffee shop where 82-year-old John Allen takes his longtime love, Linda Alexander, for her reading lesson six mornings a week.

70 year old Linda is a stroke survivor who lost much of her memory and speech five years ago. Since then, John Allen has been taking Linda to this local Starbucks six mornings a week for her daily reading lesson. To go along with this dedication, he also takes her to the gym three days a week to help her strengthen the right side of her body, that is still partially paralyzed, but showing good signs of recovery.

Members from Mid-Western Stroke Support Group: Maureen Lyons, Mary Murphy, Mary Tobin, Brigid Powell, Charlotte Ekoko and John Hyland

NEW donate tab on IHF facebook - making it even easier to support

our charity!

www.facebook.com/strokeaction

Twitter @Strokeaction


BLood PreSSure BLood PreSSure

Know your blood pressure, get it checked

Why should you get your blood pressure checked? 60 per cent of men and women aged over 45 years have high blood pressure, and of those, 70 per cent have higher levels despite being on medication. high blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke. The good news is that lifestyle changes can help prevent high blood pressure. for those that have high blood pressure, lifestyle changes and medication may be needed to bring it under control.

a person with high blood pressure may feel well, look well and rarely

has any symptoms. The only way to find out if you have high

blood pressure is to have it mea-sured.

one high reading does not necessar-ily mean that you have seriously high blood pressure.

Your doctor will usu-ally want to check your

blood pressure several times, before deciding whether or not

you have high blood pressure.

What causes high blood pressure?There is often no single cause of high blood pressure. a number of factors combine to raise blood pressure and high blood pressure tends to run in families. Being overweight, drinking too much alcohol, eating too much sodium (found in salt) and not eating enough fresh fruit and vegetables may lead to an increase in blood pressure. as you grow older, your blood pressure increases.

What can i do to reduce my high blood pressure?Changing your lifestyle can help reduce your blood pressure and reduce your overall risk of heart disease and stroke. The following lifestyle changes may help reduce your blood pressure and can some-times bring blood pressure that is mildly high to a normal level, but for most people tablets that lower blood pressure will be required.Aim for a healthy weight: keep your weight at a level that is right for your height and build. if you are overweight or obese, even losing 10% of excess weight can help lower blood pressure.Eat less salt and more fruit and vegetables: it is the sodium in salt which causes the problems associ-ated with high blood pressure. all types of salt, including sea salt, iodised salt, garlic salt and onion salt all contain sodium and so they have the same effect on your health as common table salt. using low so-dium salt may mean you use more to get the salty taste and therefore still consume the same amount of salt. it is best to use alternative flavourings.

To make sure that your blood pres-sure stays at a healthy level, reduce the amount of salt you add to your food at the table and eat less pro-cessed foods which are high in salt. include more fresh vegetables, fruit and wholegrain cereals in your diet.Drink less alcohol: small amounts of alcohol may provide some protec-tion against heart disease but there is not enough evidence to recom-mend including alcohol as part of a heart healthy diet. drinking large amounts of alcohol can increase blood pressure and may damage the liver and heart. if you do drink, spread your drinking over the week, keep some days alcohol-free and do not drink more than the recom-

mended limits of 17 standard drinks if you are a man and 11 standard drinks if you are a woman. a stan-dard drink is equal to a small glass of wine, a half pint of ordinary beer, lager or cider, and a pub measure of spirits.Be more active: all adults should aim to be more physically active at a moderate intensity for at least 30 minutes five days a week. Thirty minutes can be spread over two to three sessions in the day. increasing activity to 60 minutes brings even greater health benefits. activities such as walking, cycling, swimming and dancing are all great ways to get your heart pumping. Being active helps keep your weight at a healthy level and prevents weight gain.Check your blood pressure:The only way to know you have high blood pressure is to have it measured. have your blood pressure checked regularly by your family doctor and ask what your blood pressure reading is. if it is high, you should discuss with your doctor how best to bring it down to normal as soon as possible. if you are pre-scribed tablets for high blood pres-sure, always take them as prescribed and never stop taking your tablets without telling the doctor.

For a healthy level of blood pressure:• know your blood pressure level• aim for a healthy weight • eat less salt and more fruit and

vegetables• drink less alcohol• Be more physically active for at

least 30 minutes five days a week

for more information on blood pres-sure, visit www.irishheart.ie. To order a copy of ‘Know Your Blood Pressure, Get it Checked’ from the irish heart foundation, low call 01 6685001.

if you would like to speak to an irish heart foundation nurse about heart and stroke matters, contact the heart and Stroke helpline 1890 432 787.

What is high blood pressure?everyone has blood pressure. it shows the amount of work that your heart has to do to pump blood around your body. however, if blood pressure stays high over a period of time, it is known as high blood pressure.

Sons of Father Ted actor Dermot Morgan - Don, Ben and Rob - launch the Irish Heart Foundation’s Heart Month September campaign ‘Down with Blood Pressure’.


reCiPe

Caroline’s tasty baked cod

haPPY hearTS aPPeaL

Fair City stars surprise IHF volunteers with hearty cuppa

The irish heart foundation ’I love good food’ cookbook is packed with easy-to-make, affordable and delicious recipes, all of them in keeping with the irish heart foundation’s goal for a happy heart – to enjoy food that’s rich in taste and heart-healthy. You’ll find delicious dishes for every occasion, including recipes from chefs, cookery writers and celebrities like nicky Byrne, rosanna davison, marty Whelan, neven maguire, Catherine fulvio and donal Skehan.

“We all know that fish is a great way to stay heart healthy. it is also wonderful for your skin, nails and hair. The only problem is that i am not a big fish fan! however this recipe is one that i make all the time, as it is just so delicious. if you don’t want to use cod try this recipe with hake or haddock. for the best results, always choose fish fillets from the centre of cut and ask the fish counter to ensure that all the skin and bones have been removed.”

here, Tv presenter and actress Caroline morahan describes her favourite fish dish

Serves 4ingredients450g (1lb) potatoes, peeled or scrubbed clean keeping the skins3 tablespoons olive oil4 ripe plum tomatoes, halved and cut into thick slices 1 red onion, cut into rings and separated1 large yellow pepper, cut into chunks2 tablespoons capers, drained12 kalamata olives, pitted4 x 150g (5oz) cod fillets, skinned and boned freshly ground black peppergriddled or steamed asparagus tips, to garnish

What you doPreheat the oven to 200°C/400°f/gas mark 6. Cut the potatoes into 0.5cm (¼in) slices and arrange in a single layer in a roasting tin lined with non-stick parchment paper.

add one tablespoon of the olive oil and season lightly with pepper. Toss until evenly coated, then roast for 15-20 minutes or until cooked through and lightly golden.

meanwhile, arrange the tomatoes in the bottom of an ovenproof dish and scatter over the onion and yellow pepper. Sprinkle the capers on top with the olives and then drizzle over a tablespoon of the olive oil. arrange the cod fillets on top and drizzle over the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. roast in the oven for 8-10 minutes until cooked through and tender. The will depend on the thickness of the fillet.

arrange the potato slices on warmed plates and spoon the cod and vegetable mixture on top, drizzling over any cooking juices left in the dish. garnish with the griddled asparagus tips and serve at once.

Per Portion energy kcal/Calories 344 fat (g) 11.6 of which saturates (g) 1.9 Salt (g) 1.7 Sugars (g) 8.6

fair City stars Bryan murray and una Crawford o’Brien greeted nearly one hundred irish heart foundation volunteers with a hearty cuppa as

they arrived for the annual briefing on the may happy hearts appeal in dublin, which is supported by hea-tons and Bayer.

The stars caused a stir as Chief Tea-makers extraor-dinaire pouring tea for volunteers as they urged members of the public with time to spare to volun-teer for the happy hearts appeal in may.

Passionate about prevention and the work carried out by the foundation, Bryan explained why he was keen to give up his time and give something back. he said: “it’s quite simple. i want to live a long and healthy life and i want the same for the people i care about. and this is what the irish heart foundation is all about – helping everyone to live longer. We all know somebody affected by heart disease and stroke. But the good news is that 80 per cent of premature heart disease is preventable.

“i’m a big believer in prevention – i love walking and try to eat healthily as much as i can. i know that heart disease and stroke can happen to anyone at any age and that’s why the irish heart foundation’s work is so important not only in health promotion but also its work in patient support, research and resuscitation”.

every hour a life is lost to heart disease and stroke in ireland which means almost 10,000 lives

are lost here annually. more people die here from this disease than any other cause of death despite the fact that 80 per cent of deaths in those under 65 years could be prevented. in addition to the lives lost, there are thousands of lives affected by these chronic ill-nesses every day. in 2012, more than 100,000 people were clinically diagnosed with stroke or coronary heart disease within the previous 12 months. That’s 273 diagnoses every day – enough to fill two and a half double decker buses.

more than 750,000 patients, their families and members of the general public availed of the irish heart foundation’s vital information services in 2012 and the charity expects this number to continue to grow in 2013. The happy hearts appeal is the ihf’s biggest national fundraising event. each year more than 3,000 volunteers around the country take to the streets and shopping centres of ireland selling happy heart badges at €2 apiece. This year we hope to make the appeal bigger and stronger than ever with op-portunities for public and corporate donors to give throughout whole month of may.

With your help, the irish heart foundation hopes to raise half a million euro towards our patient infor-mation and support services including the national heart & Stroke helpline 1890 432 787. in addition, funds raised from the happy hearts appeal will also

go towards research and re-suscitation programmes.

How to donate: This May the Irish Heart Foundation is calling on the public to give generously to the Happy Hearts Appeal supported by Heatons and Bayer by buying a happy heart badge for €2, by texting HEART to 50300 to give €2, by donating online at www.irishheart.ie or by organising a fundraising event. (Terms and conditions: If you donate by text, 100% of your €2 donation will go to the Irish Heart Foundation, service provider Like Charity).


CroSSWord SuPPorT grouP diarY

€50 CrosswordSend your completed crossword, along with your name and address to: freepost, irish heart foundation, 50 ringsend rd, dublin 4. The first correct entry opened will receive €50.

ACROSS1. kind of spray6. Poultry10. a potter’s material14. Poplar tree15. Brainstorm16. fit as a fiddle17. Wampum18. Wild hog19. dogfish20. Sweet fleshy red fruit22. fastens with a cord23. What we breathe24. floating in water26. extremity30. Confederate States32. great Salt Lake state33. direct35. Slow speech pattern39. Birds of peace41. each and every one42. Peninsula in ne egypt43. The male reproductive cell44. Sleigh46. Connecting point47. Cash49. get back51. fall guy54. distant55. earl grey and orange pekoe56. a heavy snoring sound63. Where the sun rises64. novice65. Packed66. Largest continent67. not fat68. aromatic compound69. in order that not70. at one time (archaic)71. Shop

DOWN1. Short sleeps2. assist3. Scorch4. Seaweed5. Latitude6. roughage7. fragrance8. erode9. voice box10. Clicking uncontrollably11. female demon12. unearthly13. Bakery supply 21. Tab25. Boosts26. Clothing27. at the peak of28. a hollow in a cliff29. Temperature controller30. Waste time31. doing nothing34. Lack of difficulty36. dwarf buffalo37. dry riverbed38. Security for a debt40. urban haze 45. “Shucks!”48. Snuggle50. Wears away51. rob52. razz53. fertile area in a desert54. not back57. Level58. historical periods59. repose60. not tricked by61. utilizer62. arid

Check out your local Stroke Support GroupCounty Location date TimeCork Cork Stroke Support group. activity Centre, St. finbarr’s hospital, douglas rd Last Wednesday of each month. Contact mary J. foley. 087 6770221 [email protected] 2-4pm

north Cork Stroke Support group. gilbert Centre, fair St, mallow monthly meetings. Contact ann mcCarthy on the CrST Team at 022 58430. 2-4pmdublin • Coolock •Castleknock • Dundrum • Crumlin Weekly meetings. Contact the volunteer Stroke Scheme (vSS). Bridie Lyons 01 4559036 mornings

Tallaght Stroke Support group, Tallaght Library, Library Square, Tallaght, dublin 24

Last Tuesday of every month Contact niamh Barrett 01 4626260. 11am

galway moyola Lane, newcastle, galway Second Thursday of each month except august. Contact Catherine flynn 091 546023 2.30-4.30pmkerry kerry Support group. Baile mhuire day Care Centre, Caherslee, Tralee Last friday of each month. Contact mary Carmody 087 7927289 11.30am

mid West The Stroke Support Centre, 1 grattan Street, John Street, Limerick every Tuesday. Contact mary Tobin Phone: 087 2546742 mobile: 061 444 999 11.00am- 2pm

mayo alternating venues in Ballina and Castlebar Last Thursday of each month Contact Barbara ginley. [email protected]

11.30pm- 1pm

Sligo Sligo-north Western Support group Ltd, Wheelchair association Building, abbeyquarter, Sligo

Last Wednesday of each month Contact michael mulvaney 071 9165526 8-9pm

Tipperary St. oliver’s Community house, St. oliver’s Church, heywood rd., Clonmel, Co. Tipperary.

first Tuesday of each month. Contact gemma dunn. 087 9129263. 8pm

Waterford The edmund rice Centre, mount Sion School, Barrack St. Waterford. first Thursday of each month. Contact Breda Jones. 087 2794711. 2.30-4.30pm

Westmeath drumraney Stroke Club, drumraney, athlone, Co. Westmeath. 2nd monday of each month. Contact mary mahon 044 9356216 2-4.30pm

Westmeath Stroke Club, Broomfield hotel, Belvedere, mullingar once a month. Contact mary mahon 044 9356216 Contact maryWexford Wexford Stroke Club, St. Brigid’s Community Centre, Clifford St, Wexford 1st monday every month. Contact Breda kehoe 053 9141094 8pm

Wicklow east Wicklow Stroke Club, villa Pacia, Queen of the Peace Church Putland rd, Bray, Co Wicklow.

every monday, Contact michael Whelan 086 8729255 10am-1pm

BRÍ Support Group meetings BrÍ is a charity dedicated to advocating for all those affected by acquired brain injury (aBi) including stroke. BrÍ runs a number of support groups around the country that run meet monthly. for more information on the BrÍ support groups please contact Ned Respin in BRÍ on 086 3821033.

County Location date (except august) TimeCork Wilton Community Centre 3rd Wednesday of the month 7-9pmdublin friends meeting house, 4-5 eustace Street, Temple Bar, dublin 2 4th Wednesday of the month 7.30 – 9.30pm

dublin West, County Library (beside Square), Tallaght, dublin 24 1st Thursday of the month 6-8pmdublin north, rivervalley Community Centre, Swords, Co. dublin 2nd Tuesday of the month 7.30-9.30pm

Limerick Pastoral Centre, denmark Street, Limerick. Group for carers 4th Wednesday of the month 7.30 – 9.30pmLongford Phoenix Centre, dublin rd, Longford 3rd Thursday of the month 7.30-9.30pmLouth red Cross, Jocelyn Street, dundalk, Co. Louth. 4th monday of the month 7.30-9.30pm donegal St. Conal’s rehab unit, Letterkenny 3rd Tuesday of the month 7.30 – 9.30pmmeath irish Wheelchair association, kells road, navan. Group for stroke survivors 1st Thursday of the month 7.30 – 9.30pm

rehabcare, dunboyne. Group for carers 4th Thursday of the month 7.30 – 9.30pmroscommon abbey hotel, roscommon 1st monday of the month 2pm – 4pmkerry killarney kdYS, fair hill, killarney 2nd monday of the month 11am – 1pmkilkenny/Carlow Citizens information Board, The Parade, kilkenny 4th Thursday of each month 7.30 – 9.30pmWexford rotates between Wexford, enniscorthy and new ross rotates. Contact Catherine 087 7684431 7.30 – 9.30pmWaterford Tower hotel, The mall, Waterford rotates. Contact Catherine 087 7684431 7.30 – 9.30pmoffaly/Laois health Centre, Tullamore 3rd monday of each month 7.30 – 9.30pmLouth red Cross, Jocelyn Street, dundalk 4th monday of month 7.30 –9.30pmmayo family Centre, Church Street, Castlebar 3rd monday of month 7.30 – 9.30pmmonaghan Crannog resource Centre, Castleblaney. group for stroke survivors 3rd Thursday of month 11am– 1pmCavan irish Wheelchair association, Corlurgan Business Park, Ballinagh road, Cavan. Group for stroke survivors 4th Thursday of month 11am– 1pm

irish Wheelchair association Corlurgan Business Park, Ballinagh road, Cavan. Group for carers 3rd Thursday of month 7.30 – 9.30pm

Location information ContactCarlow Support group for family members of people with brain injuries, including stroke. Catherine o’hare, headway 056 7786240 Wexford Support group for family members of people with brain injuries, including stroke. Catherine o’hare, headway 087 936 1998 or Yvonne

rossiter, acquired Brain injury ireland 087 945 7671dublin family members Support group, and education and Support groups for people with brain injuries, including stroke. Ciarán nolan, headway 01 810 2098 Cork rehabilitation, Psychology and family Support services for people with brain injuries, including stroke. headway Cork, unit B3, Link rd Business Park, Ballincollig, Co

Cork. 021 487 1303Limerick rehabilitation, vocational Training, Psychology and family Support services for people affected by brain injuries,

including stroke.headway Limerick, Jutland hall, Steamboat Quay, dock rd, Limerick. 061 469305

kerry Counselling service for people with brain injuries, including stroke. margaret Behan, fairies Cross, Clounalour, Tralee, Co. kerry. 066 7119320

if you are interested in setting up a support group in your area please contact us for support at [email protected], or 01 6685001.

HEADWAY – Brain Injury Services and Supportnational Brain injury info and Support Line: 1890 200 278, mon – fri, 9am – 1pm and 2pm – 5pmheadway specialise in brain injury rehabilitation after illnesses such as stroke or head injuries.

36 | Strokelink Summer 2013

summer 2013 the stroke magazine of the irish heart foundation

Documents