Scale of stroke in Fife prompts call for volunteers to help provide support

The latest statistics on the scale of stroke in Fife show 759 people had a stroke in the area in 2023¹.

The Stroke Association estimates that 60%² of these people will be left with some form of disability, while the charity’s research has found that 75% are likely to experience mental health issues³.

So, for Volunteers’ Week, the Stroke Association is calling for new volunteers to come forward to help provide support to stroke survivors and their loved ones, as they navigate life after stroke.

The Stroke Association has received National Lottery Community Fund money to expand its support for people affected by stroke in Scotland. Anyone who volunteers would be assisted by a local engagement officer to provide face-to-face support as well as, potentially, telephone support.

The Stroke Association provides a raft of resources and support including on its website www.stroke.org.uk and by phone via its Stroke Support Helpline.

However, peer support is a proven powerful way to help stoke survivors and their families to adjust to the life-changing condition. So, the Stroke Association is particularly keen to hear from people who have had a stroke, or have supported someone who has, and want to use their experience to help others.

There is only one Stroke Association volunteer in Fife currently – see below – but the ambition is to recruit more to work in partnership with NHS Fife to support stroke survivors and their families in appropriate settings.

John Watson, Associate Director for the Stroke Association in Scotland, said:

“The number of people having strokes in Scotland is anticipated to rise in the coming years and we’ve found that more than 50% of Scottish adults have a close personal connection to stroke – whether having had one or seen a close friend or relative affected⁴.

“That’s why we are taking steps to increase our support in the NHS Fife area. Our volunteers’ work is varied and rewarding, with the potential for learning and development opportunities and we would love to hear from anyone who would like to get involved.”

There is strong evidence that volunteering benefits volunteers as well as the people they support. Stroke Association volunteers say it helps them to feel they are giving something back, as well as being able to meet new people and develop their skills and confidence.

Anyone wishing to volunteer with the Stroke Association can contact the charity’s engagement team in Scotland at engagementteamscotland@stroke.org.uk.

To find out more about the Stroke Association’s work in Scotland, visit https://www.stroke.org.uk/scotland

The Stroke Association supports stroke survivors and their families online, by phone, and in the community. Find out more at www.stroke.org.uk

Volunteer case study
Neil Murray was in his late 40s when he had a massive stroke in 2010. The Fifer from Culross was first rushed to the old Stirling Hospital before being transferred to the Western Infirmary in Edinburgh for life-saving brain surgery. Neil’s family were told to expect the worst, but he survived and spent two weeks at the Western Infirmary and another several weeks at the Queen Margaret Hospital in Dunfermline. He was transferred to Cameron Rehabilitation Hospital where he began to contemplate that his life had changed forever.

Neil was a senior project manager working in the construction industry before his career was cut short by the severe physical and mental impact of his stroke. He says he spent far too long trying to get back to the life he had, until finally accepting that his love of adventure sports such as skiing and scuba diving would have to be curtailed – sadly he will never dive again because of his brain operation. Neil now embraces new challenges and enjoys meeting people.

Neil says: “I found the Stroke Association’s onIine resources hugely beneficial in the early days of my recovery and progressed to being part of the association’s Clackmannanshire Stroke Support Group based in Alloa. There isn’t an equivalent group in Fife, but I’d love to see all the things I get involved in there, rolled out in the Kingdom. For example, we recently toured Clackmannanshire health centres to raise awareness of the signs of stroke and the support available to people in Scotland.”

1. Scottish stroke improvement programme annual report 2024 - Scottish stroke improvement programme - Publications - Public Health Scotland

2. Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme. https://www.strokeaudit.org/Results2/Clinical-audit/National-Results.aspx

3. Stroke Association Lived Experience of Stroke report 2019 lived_experience_of_stroke_chapter_1.pdf

4. All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 1009 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 11th - 15th April 2024.

The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all Scotland adults (aged 18+).