Paul Fink - Stroke Survivor

14/03/2026

After taking a bit of a break from social media lately, I’ve still been keeping active - both physically and in the community. It was great to spend some time at the Braybrook and Maidstone Neighbourhood House on Wednesday.

I had the opportunity to speak as part of the Stroke Foundation’s StrokeSafe education program. It was a great conversation about recognising the signs of stroke and why acting FAST can save lives.

Thank you to everyone who came along and engaged in such an important discussion. Community education plays a big role in helping keep people safe and informed.

Stroke Foundation

19/02/2026

21/08/2025

It’s Brain Injury Awareness Week (18–24 August 2025). The theme this year is ‘Invisible disabilities deserve visible change’.

Brain injury affects 1 in 45 Australians, and many live with hidden challenges every day.

👉 Learn more: https://synapse.org.au/brain-injury-awareness-week/

Alt text:
Graphic for Brain Injury Awareness Week 18–24 August 2025. Shows that 1 in 45 Australians lives with a brain injury.

01/08/2025

Very interesting article Graeme… given my brain injury, I agree with this sentiment about understanding of stuff from reading - eg. It is much easier than verbal communication. My frustration is that I was very good with multitasking pre-stroke, but now it is a struggle.

Whether reading a book or listening to a podcast, the goal is the same: understanding. But these activities support comprehension in different ways.

02/07/2025

Save the Date: Stroke Week is coming up from August 4 –10.
National Stroke Week is all about empowering our community to learn the F.A.S.T. signs of stroke - because knowing them could save a life.

The F.A.S.T. test as a simple way to remember the most common signs of stroke:
Face – Check their face. Has their mouth drooped?
Arms – Can they lift both arms?
Speech – Is their speech slurred? Do they understand you?
Time – Time is critical. If you see any of these signs, call 000 immediately.
Learn the common signs of stroke - you could save someone’s life, or even your own.

10/06/2025

Have you had a stroke within the last 6 months? Are you interested in staying physically active after stroke? University of Melbourne researchers are looking for stroke survivors to participate in a personalised physical activity program. Want to know more? Want to get involved? Find out more here:
https://enableme.org.au/community/research/fit-4-me-after-stroke?fbclid=IwY2xjawGwxDlleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHQPF1t671o6jQZ1jSR0fHjjxQ_touHeN0ld4M2L8rzgWSX12jhJvFlHjCw_aem_PqpVZL9i8LOObDNcSF1TgQ

10/06/2025

Data shows that men are nearly 50% more likely to experience a stroke than women and stroke kills more Aussie men than prostate cancer.

Concerningly, almost half of the men in Australia would not know they were dealing with a stroke if they saw someone displaying the main signs. That equates to roughly five million blokes.

This week Stroke Foundation is calling on Aussies to share with the bloke beside them about the signs of a stroke and ask men to put their health first.

Check out this powerful video telling the stories of Aussie men who have survived stroke:

💬 Every day, another Aussie man is changed by stroke.🧠 This Men’s Health Week, we are calling on all Australians to look out for the Bloke Beside You.🧔‍♂️...

02/06/2025

Excited to be part of this panel of experts to improve people’s lives after stroke… 🧠

Unlocking the Power of Research – Advancing the Fight Against Stroke
We warmly invite you to join us at an exclusive Stroke Foundation webinar, Unlocking the Power of Research: Advancing the Fight Against Stroke at 4pm Tuesday 3 June.
Please register here: https://ow.ly/T9HU50W0y1J
This webinar showcases the Foundation’s research undertakings and specifically, seed grants enabled by our generous supporters that are leveraging incredible research breakthroughs and future funding.
Panellists:
Dr Jade Dignam, 2022 Lady Marigold Southey Aphasia Research Grant Recipient, UQ
A/Prof Kate Hayward, Departments of Physiotherapy and Medicine, UoM
Paul Fink, Lived Experience Expert