Lofty goals are good, right? They are indeed good when it comes to raising funds for Minnesota’s stroke victims and their families. Strides for Stroke, on May 18, 2019, is the primary fundraising event for stroke in the state. The event's sponsors, the Minnesota Stroke Association and Brain Injury Alliance, hope to raise a total of $100,000 this year.

“Our own team’s goal is to raise $15,000,” said M Health neurosurgeon and avid stroke advocate Andrew Grande, MD. “We have an important opportunity to make a big difference this year and with everyone’s help, I know we can do it.” The team is drawing its members from M Health’s Neuroscience Service Line (Neurosurgery, Neurology and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation), and from the stroke teams at Fairview Southdale and HealthEast.

Proceeds from walk donations provide support of various kinds to Minnesotans who have suffered a stroke. The organization also lobbies the state legislature to improve care for stroke patients.

There are three Strides for Stroke locations throughout the state – Duluth, St. Cloud and the Twin Cities. The M Health/Fairview team will participate in the Twin Cities walk, which will be held in New Brighton at Long Lake Regional Park. Registration is at 9 a.m., the walk starts at 10.

Number one cause of death
The need is acute. Stroke is the number one cause of morbidity in this country, yet efforts to raise money and awareness about it pale in comparison to efforts for other conditions. For example, stroke kills more women than breast cancer does. Someone has a stroke every forty seconds in the U.S. Every four minutes, someone dies from a stroke. In the time it takes for you to read this, someone will have died from a stroke. To make matters worse, only about five percent of stroke victims get the care they need to survive without disability.

The reality is that Strides for Stroke plays a key role in helping raise both awareness and money to change the status quo for stroke in Minnesota.

Walk with us and/or donate
Please join us during the walk on May 18. (Psst, we're tailgating both before and after.) If you can’t join us that day, we hope you consider donating and encourage your family and friends to do so as well.

You can learn more, register or donate online at www.strokemn.org. Click on the Twin Cities link, then on either Donate or Register (to join our team, look for M Health Fairview).

With your help, we can reach our lofty, but doable, goal.