A free stroke awareness and information event is due to take place next Monday, 25 February in the Clonmel Park Hotel, Clonmel, Co Tipperary.

Organised by the South Tipperary Stroke Communication Group in association with the Irish Heart Foundation, the event will be opened by Minister of State for Local Government and Electoral Reform, John Paul Phelan, TD.

The event, supported by Home Instead Senior Care, will run from 9.30am to 1.30pm and will provide information on a range of topics. These include aphasia (difficulties with language post stroke), brain injury, rehabilitation and recovery, support for family and carers, risks and prevention and medical advances.

Attendees will hear from stroke survivors about their experiences and from HSE professionals about the role of exercise and diet in stroke prevention as well as recovery post stroke.

There will also be a presentation at the event from the Letterkenny based No Barriers Foundation, which will showcase the Eskobionics Robotic Exoskeleton. The exoskeleton is a gait therapy tool which can, in certain circumstances, help patients with spinal cord injuries to walk again while in the machine. Dr Frank Fogarty and Lead Physiotherapist Johnny Loughrey from the Foundation will speak at the event.

Mr Martin Quinn, one of the event organisers from Tipperary, suffered a stroke in 2013. Mr Quinn said that this event was very important to showcase aspects of life after stroke and stroke prevention.

Ms Helena O’Donnell, Advocacy Campaigns Officer with the Irish Heart Foundation will address the event on the Irish Heart Foundation’s support network for stroke survivors and the advocacy work the charity is currently doing to strive for improved stroke services.

According to Ms O’Donnell, “With an estimated 30,000 people in Ireland living with disabilities as a result of a stroke, the government urgently needs to invest in services for stroke survivors. One in four people who have a stroke are under 65 yet services have not caught up with that changing demographic, leaving people living for years with the effects of a stroke and struggling to get their careers, relationships and finances back on track. Due to advances in medical care more lives are being saved yet stroke survivors’ chances of a full recovery are being squandered. A modest investment in hospital and community services would have a life-changing impact on many people.”

For further information please contact: Leanne Dempsey, Marketing and Communications Officer, Irish Heart Foundation, email: ldempsey@irishheart.ie or Tel: 01 668 5001 or Martin Quinn, Member of South Tipperary Stroke Communication Group on Tel: 087 610 1628