Having seen her own family members experience stroke, Dianne Kelly OAM recognises just how common they are.
The retired teacher was determined to reduce her own stroke risk and help educate others, so she became a StrokeSafe speaker, delivering talks to hundreds across the state.
Dianne is among the Stroke Foundation’s 160 volunteers who delivers talks to local workplaces, events, conferences and community groups. Speakers often have a lived experience of stroke, or, like Dianne, a family connection.
The organisation is currently searching for more volunteers to join its StrokeSafe speaker program in the North and North-West of Tasmania.
“I became a StrokeSafe Speaker because I wanted to encourage other people to understand their risk factors and make healthy choices to avoid stroke. If I can save just one person from having a stroke through my presentations, I have achieved something,” Ms Kelly said.
“When I give talks, I am often surprised to hear how little people know about stroke or the F.A.S.T. message, and these talks are helping to change that.”
Stroke Foundation Chief Executive Officer, Dr Lisa Murphy, said it’s a particularly important area to focus on, with a recent survey revealing the Braddon region was falling behind when it comes to recognising the F.A.S.T. (Face, Arms, Speech and Time) signs of stroke.
“We know recognition of the key risk factors for stroke has fallen since 2022 in the Braddon region, and that’s not good enough,” Dr Murphy said.
“We want someone in every workplace and household in the country to know the F.A.S.T. acronym. We can help achieve this through our StrokeSafe speaker program, by teaching more Tasmanians how to prevent and recognise when they or someone they love is having a stroke.
“Dianne and our other StrokeSafe speakers play such an important role in helping educate the community and changing the statistics about stroke.”
