MAY IS STROKE AWARENESS MONTH

PLEASE HELP STROKE SUPPORT ASSOCIATION (SSA) FUND ITS EXPANDING SUPPORT GROUP SERVICES

The Covid-19 Pandemic closed our local-area support groups for stroke survivors and caregivers but then created the opportunity to provide national online support. As a result, we are looking for $5,000 to sustain our growing nonprofit.

ABOUT STROKE:

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT OUR SUPPORT GROUPS:

“The doctors kept me alive. But the group has kept me living.”

–Tim P, Stroke Survivor

“We share our lives, pains, and joys and connect to our common humanity. It is a great balm to show up to the group each week and know I can support others and that they can also support me.”

–Roz L, Caregiver

“This organization has provided support to the Long Beach area for over 40 years. I have seen many patients join the support groups and continue to recover. It is one of the most wonderful things I’m involved in!”

–Angie West, MSN, RN, CCRN-K, SCRN, ANVP

Program Director Neuroscience/Stroke, Long Beach Medical Center;

Support Group Facilitator and Board Member, Stroke Support Association

With its mission of empowering stroke survivors and their families with resources to recover, reclaim, and rebuild their lives, Stroke Support Association (SSA) has been holding separate weekly support groups for stroke survivors and caregivers/family members in the Long Beach, CA area for the past 40 years. These support groups, led by trained volunteer facilitators, provide education and resources, plus a safe place to share recovery milestones and setbacks, complicated feelings, and for the caregivers—how to avoid burnout by implementing a plan of self-care. The support groups are also a wonderful way for stroke survivors and caregivers to socialize with other people on the same journey.

When the pandemic hit in 2019, SSA had to suspend its support groups, but within a few weeks, we moved to the Zoom platform to continue to meet with our members. So it was a great surprise to us when stroke survivors and their families from all over the country and even beyond started attending through a Google search leading to our website. In the past few years, our Zoom groups have grown and flourished. We have now resumed our in-person groups in Long Beach but will also continue on Zoom to serve those who—from far and wide—have sought hope and recovery.

BEYOND OUR SUPPORT GROUPS, SSA HAS SEVERAL SECONDARY PROGRAMS:

Hospital Visitors Program: Qualified stroke survivors from our groups visit new stroke patients and their families in local hospitals.

Special Needs Fund: SSA maintains a Special Needs Fund for current group members who have recovery-related financial needs that they cannot meet on their own. Group members have used these funds in various ways: to build a wheelchair ramp at home, to purchase leg and arm braces, and for driving evaluations, social outings, and stroke-related books.

Community Education and Outreach: SSA provides stroke-related information and resources at community events and health fairs. We can also assemble a panel of stroke survivors, caregivers, and support group facilitators for speaking engagements. In addition, our comprehensive website provides education about stroke, risk assessment, and prevention; a blog with stories of our group members and helpful articles; and an exhaustive list of resources.

HOW WE FUND OUR MISSION:

Our expenses include rent, insurance, phone, office supplies, printing, postage, website maintenance, health fair fees, Zoom subscription, social outings for our group members, and a small monthly compensation to our staff.

Most of our donations come from individuals who value our mission and the mostly volunteer work we do to fulfill it. Please consider donating to Stroke Support Association. All donations are tax-deductible, and we will send you a receipt.

Thank you!

P.S. Before you go, check out this amazing recovery story of one stroke survivor who worked hard to return to his job as a fourth-grade teacher. Unable to walk post-stroke, he could eventually walk a daily mile and then worked up to jogging. Make sure to watch the video clip.