Stroke Recovery Foundation, Inc

The Foundation provides educational programs focused on stroke prevention since 80% of strokes are preventable by lifestyle changes. In addition we provide awareness information on little known issues such as the fact that stroke is a woman's issue. The reimbursement inequity which exists in stroke recovery is also being addressed.

The Foundation assists survivors and their caregiver partners to identify appropriate medical professional resources and services to assist in their stroke recoveries.

The Foundation is developing a video podcast program to assist stroke survivors and their caregiver partners to create fulfilling "New Me" and "New Us" lifestyles. Stroke prevention is also discussed from the point of view of second stroke and since the majority of first strokes are preventable with lifestyle changes.

The Foundation has established the Stroke Victor Recovery Fund to pay partial scholarships for survivors who would benefit from additional speech, physical and occupational therapy but whose insurance reimbursements have been terminated, and the survivors do not have the financial resources to continue. Unfortunately, in today's healthcare environment recovery therapy is limited for the very great majority of stroke survivors. For most there are caps or other institutional barriers to getting the amount of therapy that would help the survivor make a more complete recovery, and in some cases get their independence back.

Lots of therapy, and a positive and determined mindset is how survivors recover their independence and life functionality! This fund can play a profound role facilitating independence and more constructive lives for survivors and their caregiver partners!

Ten percent of strokes annually in America (80,000-90,000) occur in people under the age of 50 years of age. These survivors are a special group which includes children and young adults who have many years to live. It also includes people in the prime of their professional and working lives. These scholarships will have a particularly important role in their improved recoveries.

In some cases, the scholarships will also reduce the family financial burden since the additional therapy may result in improved functionality and independence that, for example, the survivor can remain in their current residence instead of having to relocate to a retirement home or other institution. That is tremendously important!

Case Management and Coaching
In addition to the mentioned therapy the Fund will provide assistance with stroke recovery coaching to create a personalized and realistic road map to recovery. We will also work with each of the scholarship recipients to navigate to appropriate providers given the needs. And finally, each recipient will be expected to periodically check-in with our staff to ascertain the progress, or lack thereof. We want to be sure that the funds are being well spent.

Skin in the Game
The Foundation believes that each applicant be required to make a co-payment for the therapy. 'Skin in the game' is an important element of the scholarship program.

Vetting
Applicants will be vetted in two ways:

First, we will require medical verification that the applicant is likely to benefit from the additional therapy, and the type and amount of therapy suggested. Since therapy is not easy, or much fun, we will access the applicants mentality, attitude, and self discipline to put the effort in to take advantage of the opportunity we are providing. In that regard we access progress to date, and the objective of the additional therapy.

Second, we will require verification that the applicant has a financial need that this scholarship will assist in. Survivor's and/or the caregiver partner will complete an application and sign a release allowing for necessary verification.

Locating Worthy Survivors
The Foundation will partner with rehabilitation centers and therapy firms to get survivor referrals. It will also utilize the digital marketing services of Google to locate worthy survivors.

Vetting Therapy Providers
As survivors ourselves, we have learned that therapy centers should have particular equipment to make the best use of therapy time. Similarly, therapists must have neurological backgrounds to best work with stroke survivors. As such, participating therapy firms will themselves be vetted regarding their reputation, equipment, background and experience treating stroke survivors.

Our 2019-2020 Goal
We have a lofty financial goal of $100,000 to be raised in the 2019-2020 time period. Simply put, the more funds we raise, the more survivors lives (and their families!) we can constructively impact.

Time is Brain - Facilitated Funding
Our plan is to commence our scholarship program as funds are raised rather than waiting until we achieve our financial goal. With stroke and all brain injuries, Time is Brain! Please join us as we profoundly Improve Lives.

Naming Rights for Recovery Fund
Do you know someone you would like to memorialize. Or get your organization's name on a place that impacts families and individual survivors? Please contact me personally at [email protected] to discuss how you or your organization can play a leadership role in funding the Stroke Recovery Fund.

Thank you for your consideration.

The Foundation believes strongly in supporting the future generations of healthcare professionals, particularly those who will treat stroke survivors, as well those treating other brain injuries.

The educational support that we feel is beneficial is experiential in nature, experiential exposure to survivors, 'who have each walked the walk'. Each survivor has learned to cope with their new situation differently, partly based on their individual deficits and there is something to learn from each. In some cases the caregiver partner may be a component of the experience.

Let's be clear, no matter how hard they may try, healthcare educators or other healthcare professionals who have not personally experienced a particular disease are not the same as one who has. In no way is this meant in a negative way, as the great majority of healthcare educators and professionals try their best every day to provide excellent education and care.

That said, the Mannequin to Man Initiative is composed of student/survivor personal briefings and personal survivor stories delivered on campus, as well as full and half day workshops. The latter gives the students the opportunity to work with a survivor on a one-to-one or small group basis to see the residual issues such as pain and discuss things like neurological limb tone and its day to day impact.

Besides the stories and experiences, the Foundation has innovated a 12 Pillar of Stroke Victor Recovery road map. As part of the workshop and presentations these Pillars are presented and discussed with the students. The Pillar initiative has been successfully received at the World Stroke Congress, among other Neurological and Stroke professional conferences.

The effectiveness of Mannequin to Man has been tested over a two year period at the Keiser University Occupational Therapy Assistant Program, and more recently at Ave Maria School of Nursing with very positive results and feedback. Typical has been, "Thank you for speaking to my Occupational Therapy Assistant class at Keiser University in Fort Myers on May 21, 2019. My students took away many pearls of wisdom about becoming the best therapist they can possibly be, and remembering the human side of rehabilitation. It is not just about what they want to see the patient do, it is about what the patient wants to achieve and be. They also listened intently to the struggles you had and the coping mechanisms you put in place to overcome them. I know that many will be thinking of those coping skills as they go out and work with their patients, no matter what the diagnosis, and again be better, more effective therapists." Therese Cinotto, OTR/L

The initiative needs to be marketed to Universities and Colleges with physical, occupational, speech therapy and nursing programs. The Foundation will utilize the services of Google digital marketing as well as a direct mail campaign.