Stroke Association North West

17/04/2026

There’s two weeks to go until we kick off our 31 minutes in May challenge!
We’re asking people to do 31 minutes of exercise a day in May – any exercise they like- this Stroke Awareness Month.
Every pound you raise will help stroke survivors find strength through support.
Sign up now to get your free t-shirt in time for the start of the challenge: https://givp.nl/register/6K3j6pDn

Donald took part in our 31 minutes in May challenge last year. He had a stroke in 2021 and is now supported by his sister, Irene. This is what Irene had to say about the challenge Donald did:
'Donald would sing while exercising, “Don’t Stop Thinking About Tomorrow”. It became a big motivator. He loved seeing what people in the Facebook group were saying about him. Their encouragement gave him a push to keep going the next day.
'People even started sponsoring him after following his story online. Some have become friends. He took it with humour, but he really valued the camaraderie. It wasn’t just about the challenge, it was about being part of something bigger. It made the whole experience so enjoyable.'
It’s up to you how you choose to do your 31 minutes of exercise a day in May. You could do physio exercises, go for a walk, swim or cycle - anything goes!

If you’d like to join the 31 minutes in May challenge this year, you’ll find more information here: https://www.stroke.org.uk/get-involved/fundraise/facebook-challenge

17/02/2026

Wow! Huge congratulations and thank you to one of our Stroke Support Group Volunteers Bernadette for taking part in a skydive for Stroke Association, Bernadette volunteers at Tameside Survivors of Stroke Group.

Bernadette has raised a staggering £1,078 in her JustGiving page, see here https://www.justgiving.com/page/bernadette-tennent-1?utm_medium=FR&utm_source=CL

Thank you Bernadette! 🥳📣

05/02/2026

Sounds like a great event, thank you!!

29/01/2026

We're sharing the story of the amazing Dan Birrell from Lancaster, for at the Stroke Association !

You can also catch Dan on radio, BBC Lancashire , from 4 this afternoon!

Thanks again Dan!

Nearly 414 people will have a stroke every day in the UK – that's one person every three-and-a-half minutes – by 2035 unless the public, NHS and the Government tackle prevention.

29/01/2026

Thanks Chris for sharing your devastating experience.
We would love to meet less people after their stroke.

Today is Stroke Prevention Day, Chris is one of 85,000 people that survive a stroke each year. Around 1/2 of strokes are due to high blood pressure, making it the leading cause of stroke.

A rugby coach who is active and always moving, Chris never imagined that high blood pressure would bring his life to a screeching halt.

It all started at the end of November 2024.

'I had a sharp pain on the left side of my head, buried deep behind my eye. The kind of headache you shrug off as dehydration.'

By day six, his partner insisted he speak to a doctor.

Chris went to hospital, where he was told he had high blood pressure. He was observed overnight.

‘They said everything was under control. I went home with tablets and a plan. But just one week later, I was sitting at my kitchen table when everything changed.’

‘I felt sluggish, and my thoughts felt jammed. Then the vision in my right eye went fuzzy, and then came a black cloud sweeping across my vision diagonally.’

He managed to dial 999 and an ambulance arrived. When he reached the specialist stroke unit, like many others, he had to wait to be admitted and was left in the waiting room with everyone else.

‘They found a 3mm bleed in the basal ganglia a tiny rupture in my brain. Minuscule, but enough to blow my world apart.’

Chris spent six nights on the stroke ward.

‘I could walk, talk, and eat, and yet I didn’t feel like I belonged there. But I did.’

Chris’ recovery is ongoing. His speech has mostly returned, but under pressure or fatigue, words come out wrong or not at all.

‘I forget names, lose thoughts, and the tiredness is so bone-deep its crushing.’

‘My message to everyone is to please not wait. Don’t ignore it. Don’t think it won’t happen to you. Check your blood pressure. It might just save your life.’

Nearly 414 people will have a stroke every day in the UK, that's one person every three and a half minutes by 2035 unless the public, NHS, and the Government tackle prevention.

Stories like Chris' are why we're encouraging everyone to help protect themselves against stroke by monitoring their blood pressure regularly. Visit our website to find out more:https://bit.ly/49WRWsO

29/01/2026

We have checked our blood pressure today.. could you?

In our last survey, almost half of people don’t know that high blood pressure is the biggest risk factor for stroke, one of the leading causes of death and disability.

This is really worrying because more than ten million people in the UK have been diagnosed with high blood pressure – and many more are unaware that they have the condition.
You can lower your blood pressure by making some simple changes.

See Asiya’s story here

After being diagnosed with high blood pressure and high cholesterol, Asiya began walking and swimming – and it’s made a world of difference.

23/01/2026

It is Stroke Prevention Day next week - Thursday 29 January – and we are again, encouraging everyone to check their blood pressure.
High blood pressure is the biggest risk factor for stroke
BUT evidence shows that taking action to lower your blood pressure can really reduce the risk it poses to your health.
You can lower your blood pressure by making some simple changes.
Like what? Maybe you could cut down on your salt intake a little. Why not take a look…
https://www.stroke.org.uk/stroke/support/materials/stroke-news/simple-swaps-cutting-back-salt

High blood pressure is one of the biggest risk factors of stroke. It usually has no symptoms but is a contributing factor in around half of all strokes.

19/01/2026

It’s been a while since we have mentioned our favourite P word ….but we will be!
It is Stroke Prevention Day next week - Thursday 29 January – and we are again, encouraging everyone to check their blood pressure.
Why?
Simply that High blood pressure is the biggest risk factor for stroke. It causes about half of all strokes.
We want to stop stroke before it happens.
Unfortunately, many people will be unaware that they have high blood pressure (also known as hypertension) as it is often symptomless.
Community pharmacy teams are trained to carry out blood pressure checks for those over 40, analyse the results, provide advice on lifestyle changes, and can refer patients with high blood pressure for further investigation.
https://www.stroke.org.uk/stroke-prevention-day
.
and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board NHS Greater Manchester NHS Cheshire and Merseyside

This Stroke Prevention Day 2026 (29 January), we're encouraging you to monitor your blood pressure. That's because high blood pressure is the biggest risk factor for stroke.

15/01/2026

Childhood stroke changes the lives of children and their families in an instant.

Follow this link to learn more about Childhood Stroke - https://www.stroke.org.uk/stroke/childhood/about

09/01/2026

We are sharing the message from Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board across the region to help hospital services be able to respond to emergencies. Stroke is a medical emergency. Every minute is vital and calling 999 is still the first thing you should do if someone is having a stroke. Arriving at the right hospital in an emergency ambulance is the most important thing you can do to save lives and prevent disability from stroke. https://www.stroke.org.uk/stroke/symptoms

🚨 Exceptional demand continues across our local NHS services

Due to continuing high levels of demand for NHS services, measures remain in place to reduce pressures. Thank you for your help. Please continue to:

✅ Use A&E only for serious or life-threatening emergencies.
✅ Collect loved ones, who are ready to leave hospital, as soon as possible and make sure they have what they need at home.
✅ Be aware that, if you do need A&E, you may experience a wait.

Our teams will see the most seriously ill patients first - please treat staff with respect.

If you have to visit A&E, due to a serious accident or emergency that is life threatening, please make sure you are prepared for a potential wait by taking things you may need like a charged phone, a payment method and warm, comfortable clothing. We apologise if you experience a longer wait.

Please use health services wisely. Accessing the right service at the right time may mean you’re seen quicker and helps reduce pressure.

Please remember that vaccinations significantly reduce the risk of severe illnesses and hospitalisation. Find out how to get vaccinated on the ICB website - https://orlo.uk/Gor2K

Please share this message with your colleagues and networks.

Thank you to our incredible NHS teams and partners working tirelessly across hospitals, community services and the region.

Craig Harris
Chief Commissioning Officer
Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB

31/12/2025

Celebrating our volunteers..
Pictured here are some of the local Wirral staff team alongside their fantastic volunteers. Each year, the team comes together with volunteers to say thank you for the vital support they provide to stroke survivors across the area.
Many of these volunteers have lived experience of stroke themselves and understand first hand the difference that support can make for people affected by stroke.
As you can see, the occasion was made even more special by a surprise visit from Santa, who kindly took time out of his very busy schedule to join the celebrations!

While this was a local appreciation moment, we say A huge THANK YOU to all our volunteers for their dedication, compassion, and continued support throughout the year.

30/12/2025

We have seen in the local news recently about a young mum who suffered a stroke and was rushed to intensive care with sepsis on Christmas Day last year at the age of 27. She says the "traumatising" ordeal left her feeling "nervous rather than excited" about Christmas this year.
In Dec 2024, Holly Dougan, originally from Stockport, experienced pain on the left side of her neck, which she believed was causing her headaches. At the time, Holly was advised these were migraines and did "not think too much of it" and continued taking pain relief medication. At 5am on Christmas morning, her daughter Isabella woke up but Holly decided it "was a bit early" to start the day and settled her back down. Holly returned to bed and "felt fine" until waking again at 8.30am to get her daughter up. "I got to her bedroom door and my legs just went from beneath me, and I felt really dizzy," Holly recalled. Holly, an early years teacher now living in Liverpool, called an ambulance. Approximately two minutes later, paramedics arrived at her door.

For another 85,000 people in the UK, this year will have been their first Christmas after a stroke. Our recent film shares stroke survivors' experiences of facing Christmas after a stroke.
http://www.stroke.org.uk/stillchristmas

We thank Holly for publicly sharing her experiences. Thanks also to Liverpool Echo News and Manchester Evening News for featuring Holly and sharing awareness of the importance of seeking treatment for a suspected stroke.