Welcome to Live & Learn Episode 15. Megan Gilmour speaks with Simone Russell from the Stroke Foundation and Hailey McKirdy, a lived experience consultant, about childhood stroke and its impact on school life. They discuss challenges like delayed diagnosis, invisible disabilities, and fatigue. Hailey shares her experience returning to school post-stroke, emphasising the value of self-advocacy, inclusion, and reasonable adjustments. Simone highlights the importance of raising awareness, early diagnosis, and collaboration between families, teachers, and therapy teams to support children’s success.
In Australia, around 120 babies and 400 children experience a stroke each year, with newborns and infants most affected. Stroke occurs in 1 in 2,300 to 5,000 newborns, with a third of cases happening before age one. The Stroke Foundation is a national charity working to prevent stroke, save lives, and support recovery through awareness, research, and survivor support.
View transcript here.
