Stroke recovery gets $15M for research

Toronto, ON – The federal government has given $15 million to the Heart and Stroke Foundation Centre for Stroke Recovery to support stroke recovery and rehabilitation research.

The Heart and Stroke Foundation Centre for Stroke Recovery brings together three institutions – Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Baycrest, and the University of Ottawa.

The centre is developing new ways to repair the brain after stroke and brings together basic research, clinical research and patient care toward the common goal of reducing disability in stroke patients.

“The Heart and Stroke Foundation Centre for Stroke Recovery is a unique public-private partnership devoted to optimizing stroke recovery,” says Dr Sandra Black, site director, Heart and Stroke Foundation Centre for Stroke Recovery and medical director of the Regional Stroke Centre for North/East GTA at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. “This investment by the government of Canada will continue to position the centre as a beacon for the rest of the stroke community internationally.”

According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, research funding into stroke rehabilitation and recovery programs needs to grow exponentially to keep up with the rising number of stroke survivors in Canada. Over 15,000 Canadians die as a result of stroke every year – and currently 300,000 are living with its effects. Statistics also show that more than 70% of stroke survivors are left with some degree of disability; and two thirds of strokes occur among people over 65.