A regional Victorian teenager will be pounding the pavement this month, hoping to make more people aware of the signs of stroke.
Chloe Portwine from Bamawm is on a mission to walk or ride at least 30 minutes a day throughout the month of November as part of Stroke Foundation's major annual fundraiser, Stride4Stroke.
The 16-year-old watched her dad, Dan, recover from stroke back in 2016.
"Dad was only 35 at the time, he was a fit, active and healthy farmer before his stroke. Thankfully, he had a great experience at Hospital in Echuca and was able to see doctors from the Alfred Hospital via telehealth," Chloe said.
"But the stroke had a significant impact on Dad's ability work on the farm. He wasn't able to continue with the long and demanding hours, so in 2020 we were forced to move off the dairy farm.
"Dad has since gotten into beef and hay farming which has been a great change of pace. It has given him the ability to rest more while still looking after himself."
Dan is among the 110,000 survivors of stroke living in the community across Victoria, and regional Australians are 17% more likely to experience a stroke than those in metropolitan areas.
Stride4Stroke sees participants set an activity goal to increase their daily moving minutes to lower their own stroke risk, all while fundraising to prevent stroke, fund vital research and support survivors of stroke and their families through their recovery journey.
Stroke Foundation Chief Executive Officer, Dr Lisa Murphy, commended Chloe and her family for taking part in the challenge.
"Chloe is setting such a great example in her community and helping educate the next generation about stroke risks and prevention, I'm sure her family is very proud," Dr Murphy said.
"Our research tells us just 30 minutes of exercise fives time a week can reduce your stroke risk by 25%, so every step counts.
"Stroke is sudden. It is a devastating disease that strikes the brain and can impact people of all ages. However, the good news is 80 percent of strokes can be prevented by managing blood pressure and living a healthy, active lifestyle."
Stride4Stroke runs throughout November. The Portwine family are hoping to raise $500, find out more.
