New resource will support stroke recovery in Indigenous communities

Three generations of a West Australian family, who are all survivors of stroke, are sharing their story this National Stroke Week (Aug 2 – 8) to promote a new resource developed for the Indigenous community.

The Kickett family will be part of the formal launch of the new Stroke Foundation resource Our Stroke Journey, which provides information to empower Indigenous Australians through their treatment and care and improve the recovery journey and outcomes.

Our Stroke Journey has been developed by Stroke Foundation with the support of survivors of stroke and their families, health professionals, stroke researchers, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations.

Charles Kickett, a proud Whadjuk Noongar Elder, his son Justin Kickett, and his grandson Joshua Kickett, have all been impacted by strokes. Their experience shows the prevalence of stroke in Aboriginal communities and emphasises that stroke can impact anyone at any age.

Statistics show that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are twice as likely to be hospitalised with stroke than non-indigenous Australians and are likely to have strokes at a much younger age.

Stroke Foundation Western Australia State Manager Luke Hays said the need for a specific resource for Indigenous communities has long been evident.

“These are some of our most vulnerable communities, who already encounter significant challenges accessing the health system. We need to ensure we make navigating that system as easy as possible and Our Stroke Journey is an important part of that,” Mr Hays said.

“I am grateful to the Kickett family for being part of this launch today and for sharing their story as way of helping others.”

Our Stroke Journey is a national resource and is available to the Australian public through the Stroke Foundation website or by calling StrokeLine on 1800 787 653.

The Stroke Foundation booklet is being formally launched in Perth on the first day of Stroke Week.

Justin Kickett smiling

QUICK STATS

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people stroke statistics compared with non-Indigenous Australians

Hospitalisation rates for stroke are 1.6 times as high.

Death rates for stroke are 1.3 times as high.

The burden of disease for stroke is 2.3 times as high.

The median age of onset of first-ever stroke in Aboriginal patients (54 years), was 17 years younger than in non-Indigenous patients.

Justin Kickett shares his stroke story in the new Stroke Foundation resource, Our Stroke Journey, which has been developed to support the Indigenous community through stroke recovery.

/Public Release. View in full here.