About Stroke Prevention Center
The Stroke Prevention Center is a group of survivors, families of survivors and professionals in the field of stroke and neurological issues, committed to education in both the prevention of stroke as well as educating stroke survivors and their families that there is the potential for a very full and rewarding life after stroke.
Read more here about who we are, what we do & how your donations help support our mission
Founder’s Message
Anytime any disease comes into our life, it is difficult, devastating, and we have to dig deep to find strength and courage that most often we didn’t even know was within. When stroke strikes it hits hard, and most often you lose some part of your functionality. It could be walking, vision, use of your hands, memory, speech…a hundred different things. There are so many challenges that stroke survivors face from learning to live with new challenges, accepting deficits, ignorance in our world about stroke, losing our source of income…I could go on forever. As a survivor, there is one thing that I have noticed and can’t quite figure out…
When a person has a stroke, very often they lose their job and with that job loss comes a loss of benefits. So, my question is, “How does one get the therapy they need to get back to work if they don’t have the funds to get that therapy?” Over the past years, I have seen many upset therapists who had to discharge someone for lack of insurance just as the patient might be near breaking through to another level.
Our dream and our determined goal is that eventually, should a therapist contact the Stroke Prevention Center about a patient that needs a few more sessions but doesn’t have the funds nor the insurance for those sessions, the Stroke Prevention Center would be able to fund that person for several sessions….maybe the few sessions they just might need towards getting their life back!
Your donations help us to help these patients achieve their best possible recovery. We’re grateful for your help!
Kathleen L. Howard, Founder & President
Stroke Prevention Center Advisory Board
- Robert Balk
- Bernard M. Barton, IV
- John Barton
- Samantha Barton
- Gina Braden – OTR/L
- Janelle Burge – PT, DPT, NCS
- James L. Howard, Jr.
- James L. Howard, Sr.
- Mimi Kramper, MCSW
- Jayna K. Lux
- Theresa Notestine – PT, DPT
- Mark Petty – M.A. CCC/SLP
- Jennifer Recht
Making a Difference
Proceeds from our 2012 Stampede for Stroke event funded an exercise program for stroke survivors called “Muscles in Motion” which meets weekly at the Rehab Institute of St. Louis. The Stampede was just the beginning: it’s imperative that stroke survivors develop and maintain a healthy lifestyle that continues beyond their initial recovery and therapy phase.
With your support and donations, we will continue to offer events that combine our education & prevention message with fun physical activities, free health screenings and guest speaker appearances.
As we grow, proceeds from these events will help to make continued physical therapy possible for those in need.
Our ultimate long-time goal is not only partnering with existing facilities to make programs such as “Muscles in Motion” possible, but to eventually have our own facility for enhancing and reclaiming life after stroke. What happens when one’s course of therapy is finished?
We want to work with survivors and their caregivers, picking up where therapy left off to provide further training and education for the best recovery possible.
Through public events we will also continue our education program, both in presentations focusing on ways to reduce the risk for stroke and by offering information and resources for survivors and their families.
Your generosity has gotten us off to a great start!
- We provided funds for an I-Pad with therapy apps for an out-patient occupational therapy program
- We provided funds for tools needed in the acute rehab department of a local hospital
- We provided funds for an exercise program for stroke survivors
- We hold free wellness fairs annually
- We created a video to be handed out to new stroke survivors (see it here)
- Our future includes a therapy scholarship fund and a stroke center where survivors and families can come, learn, share, re-invent and celebrate their lives