Perth advocates have welcomed the news Australia’s first health service dedicated to helping young stroke survivors could be expanded to WA.
The Florey Institute’s Young Stroke Service has been running in South Australia and Victoria since 2021, supporting survivors aged 18 to 55 and conducting research.
The service’s co-founder Vincent Thijs says there’s a huge need to have additional help beyond what is offered in the traditional health care setting.
“When you’re young and you’re faced with a stroke, you require a lifelong approach, because the challenges accumulate over time,” he says.
According to the YSS, 13 people under the age of 55 have a stroke daily, with 88 per cent feeling left without adequate support.
Professor Thijs says the YSS would like to bring its services to WA.
Any extra support is always welcome, according to Gregg Oughton, who founded The Kings Park Warriors after suffering a stroke seven years ago.
“After my stroke I couldn’t work [and] it gave me a real purpose for life, and seeing the impact it has on people, that’s what drives the organisation and myself to keep continuing,” he says.
Anyone with an acquired brain injury is welcome at the group’s weekly gatherings in suburbs across Perth, with more than 2000 people attending in 2025.
Mr Oughton says the catch-ups are particularly important to young survivors.
“It really gives them some support and an anchor to continue through their lives; we’ve been told it saved their lives having that anchor,” he says.
He’s keen to see more support and research for young stroke survivors in WA.
“We’d be very happy to help; we are already doing stuff with Monash University and Newcastle University, so we’ve already been welcoming collaboration and research,” he says.
Neill Batey is one of the newer members to the group, after being in a motorcycle accident two years ago.
“People can’t see an invisible injury and so I battle with that part of it,” he says.
“I find it really good to talk to people that have an understanding of what’s happened; it’s good to not have to explain myself all the time.”
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