Firstly, we hope that whoever you are, and whatever your circumstances, we hope that youre doing okay. If you're looking at this web page it more than likely means, that unfortunately youve been affected by someone close to you having a stroke, or maybe you have had a stroke yourself. 

We hope this page will provide you with some information that may be helpful to you, or if at the very least some answers or comfort. 

So, what is a stroke? 

In medical terms, a stroke is the sudden death of brain cells due to lack of oxygen, caused by blockage of blood flow or rupture of an artery to the brain.

Strokes affect people differently. Some patients suffer from a Transient ischaemic attack, also called a "mini stroke" or "TIA" for short. It is a serious condition where the blood supply to your brain is temporarily disrupted.

In more severe cases, patients will suffer from a haemorrhagic stroke which is caused by bleeding in or around the brain. The symptoms may include face dropping on one side, weakness on one side of their body, slurred speech, swallowing problems, pain or numbness.

Treatment in hospital is needed, this may be blood thinning medicine, reversal drugs or even brain surgery. Some patients will have a long stay in hospital and receive rehabilitation.

Rehab helps ease the transition from hospital to home and can help prevent another stroke. Recovery time after a stroke is different for everyone—it can take weeks, months, or even years. Some people recover fully, but others have long-term or lifelong disabilities.