Lena Logan

I’m taking on the challenge of Stride4Stroke and raising funds for Stroke Foundation!

Why I’m Taking Part in Stride4Stroke

In 2017, just four days before my first child was born, my mum had a stroke. She was only 64 years old.

My mum was always my biggest support – the first person I would call. She was so excited to become a grandmother again, to welcome her second grandchild. But her stroke changed everything. It left her paralysed on her left side, and the Swedish healthcare system provided very limited rehabilitation. Early on, the decision was made to manage her disability rather than help her regain independence.

That left my dad to become both her full-time carer and physio. For 8 long years, Mum lay in bed, unable to do anything for herself or fully enjoy her grandchildren. She had very little strength or ability to engage in her own recovery, and we lived in a strange limbo – unable to move on, yet also unable to fully enjoy the present. Some days she was alert and aware, other days confused and exhausted. Personally, I lost my mum at a time I needed her most. Gradually, we all lost her. And in the end, cancer took her life – another painful chapter where the healthcare system overlooked her needs.

It has been an emotional and heart-breaking journey, one I wouldn’t wish on anyone. That’s why I’m taking on the Stride4Stroke challenge – to help create a future with fewer strokes, where families don’t have to face the same struggles we did.

In Australia, someone has a stroke every 11 minutes. Stroke is one of the country’s biggest killers, claiming more lives than breast cancer in women and prostate cancer in men. It can happen to anyone, at any time – including babies and children. But with the right support, awareness, and treatment, so many strokes can be prevented, treated effectively, and better recovered from.

By supporting me, you’ll help sustain the vital work of the Stroke Foundation, including:

• Preventing stroke through StrokeSafe Talks, blood pressure checks, and educational resources.

• Saving lives through F.A.S.T. awareness, national stroke guidelines, and professional resources.

• Enhancing recovery through StrokeLine, My Stroke Journey, and EnableMe, providing guidance and support for survivors and families.

Your support is more than a donation – it’s a lifeline for individuals at risk of stroke and for survivors striving to rebuild their lives.

Thank you for supporting me. Together, we can change the story of stroke.