Echuca Moama Stroke Support Group member and spokesperson David Dowie said the group played an important role in helping people adjust after a stroke.
“It’s a socialising group that puts people in contact with others who have experienced the same thing,” he said.
“For many, it’s their first step to rejoining the world, building trust, relationships and friendships.”
Mr Dowie said the group helped people understand they were not alone.
“The person sitting next to you is as unique as you are, no two stroke experiences are the same,” he said.
New data from the Stroke Foundation’s F.A.S.T. National Awareness survey shows people in regional Victoria are more likely than Melburnians to recognise key warning signs of stroke, including slurred speech, facial droop and arm weakness.
The 2025 survey found 63 per cent of regional Victorians identified slurred speech as a sign of stroke, compared to 50 per cent of Melburnians, while 53 per cent recognised facial droop, compared to 43 per cent.
Stroke Foundation chief executive Lisa Murphy said the results were encouraging, particularly given higher stroke risks in regional areas.
“It is encouraging to see awareness increase, especially in regional Australia where people are 17 per cent more likely to have a stroke,” she said.
“This means more people know the signs, will recognise a stroke sooner and call an ambulance faster.”
Stroke remains one of Australia’s leading causes of death and disability, with about 46,000 cases each year, including around 11,500 in Victoria.
Dr Murphy said acting quickly could make a critical difference.
“When a stroke strikes, it kills up to 1.9 million brain cells per minute,” she said.
“The most important action you can take is to call 000 immediately.”
Health experts are urging people to remember the F.A.S.T. warning signs: face drooping, arm weakness, speech difficulty and time to call emergency services.
