The meeting was organised for stroke survivors and their caregivers to provide them expert advice and help them express their concerns

With an initiative to bring about a positive change in the lives of stroke patients and their caregivers, Institute of Neurosciences, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals organized a meeting for ‘Stroke Support Group’ today. This meeting is organised every month so that the stroke survivor and their care givers can socialize with each other, get realistic feedback, express their concerns, share their experiences, get tips and receive emotional comfort. It is organised by Dr PN Renjen – Senior Consultant, Neurology, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals.

Talking about the rise in number of stroke cases, Dr PN Renjen said, “Stroke is one of the leading causes of death and disability in India. It claims a life in every six seconds and 15 million people worldwide suffer a stroke each year and 5.8 million people die from it. Ischemic stroke occurs due to the narrowing of carotid artery. The cholesterol gets deposited in the brain artery and gets calcified. It keeps on growing affecting the blood flow to the brain. Stroke can be fatal too if a patient is not brought to the hospital on time.”

“To manage an ischemic stroke case Tissue Plasminogen Activator (TPA) is one of the approved methods in which the clot that is blocking the nerve in the brain is dissolved. This helps in resuming the full blood supply to the part of the brain which was earlier blocked. Mechanical thrombectomy is also followed in cases which require surgical intervention. There are many devices such as stent retrievers that help in revascularization of occluded intracranial vessels that helps in increasing the success rate of ischemic stroke cases,” further added Dr Renjen.

“Though with the advancement in technology, we are witnessing a total paradigm shift in medicine and healthcare sector but nothing can replace the value of ‘human touch’. A stroke sufferer needs attention and love. Their caregivers too seek for support and advice on how to deal with such patients. In such situations, Support Groups are of great respite to the patients and their family members. Stroke can be very isolating and the stroke support group is a forum for survivor and their care givers to make friends, socialize and help each other. By organising such support group meetings, we aim to bring about a positive transformation in the lives of these survivors and their caregivers,” explained Dr Renjen.

Mr. Raj Kumar Sharma, 62 year old stroke survivor said, “On 15^th September, I felt acute weakness in left side of my body. Seeing my condition, my family brought me to Apollo Hospital. After doing the necessary investigation, doctors here explained me that I need to undergo thrombolytic therapy which will take around three to four hours. In evening, I underwent the procedure and started recovering just after two hours. I was discharged from the hospital within two days and I completely fine now. All thanks to Dr Renjen here, who explained me about the procedure and saved my life after successfully performing it. I will always be grateful to him.”