Stroke Aotearoa New Zealand (SANZ) is making a difference in the Tairāwhiti region, offering stroke prevention services and life-after-stroke support. Their focus on education and training within communities and alongside healthcare providers is helping to ease the burden of stroke on individuals and the wider community. With a $10,000 grant from Trust Tairāwhiti, SANZ has expanded its regional reach through the Tairāwhiti Community Stroke Navigator services.
Over the past year, SANZ’s Tairāwhiti team received 52 new referrals, providing these individuals with personalised recovery support. SANZ offered support groups and exercise classes to existing clients, provided care for whānau and caregivers, and supported the Tairāwhiti community through stroke prevention programmes and free health checks.
In response to the growing number of strokes occurring among younger New Zealanders, SANZ has increasingly focused on early detection and prevention. Through partnerships with Māori and Pasifika groups – who face higher rates of stroke – SANZ works to provide health education and advocacy. Research from SANZ and the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research (NZIER) shows that Māori and Pasifika are, on average, affected by stroke up to 15 years earlier than New Zealand Europeans.
Locally, SANZ has offered free blood pressure checks at Pak’nSave Gisborne and Tokomaru Bay. They’ve also delivered health presentations to kaumātua groups and Pasifika events. By participating in monthly meetings with Tairāwhiti Community Voice Network and leading health initiatives with local stroke support groups, SANZ continues to promote stroke awareness and prevention throughout the region.
"SANZ receives less than 20% of its funding from the Government, so a grant from Trust Tairāwhiti is critical in its aim to unify communities in the fight against stroke and inspire collective action to create a healthier Aotearoa," says SFNZ.
