As part of our new member spotlight series, the Estonian team have shared their news with us.

Greetings from the Estonian Stroke Patients’ Society! 

Over the past six months, our organisation has undergone a period of huge change that has been touching almost every aspect of the Society. The reason for this overhaul was the realisation that we wouldn’t be able to create the organisation we wanted, by doing what we had always done. We needed to revert to basics and build a solid foundation to continue to build on to achieve our new vision, mission and goals. Here are some of the key actions we have undertaken to lay these foundations and continue to respond to the unmet needs of stroke survivors in Estonia: 

We launched a ‘Science and Development Team’ consisting of nine specialists from various fields, ranging from those with strategic and technical knowledge to health specialists, including one doctoral student in neuroscience. The goal of the team is to support our continued development, using their knowledge to drive activities, so that we are sustainable, the voice of stroke patients is heard, and we are considered as an equal partner in stroke in the future. 

We have also updated our visual look and feel with a new logo, a new colour scheme and a brand-new website. This new visual style has also been applied to our information materials, including a guide that supports stroke patients to access therapy.  

One of our proudest moments was hosting our information day, “Informed Patient”, on December 15. It was aimed at stroke patients and their needs, and featured lecturers from state institutions, medical facilities, and collaboration partners and it was all well received by stroke survivors. These efforts did not go unnoticed, the event received coverage in the media, including TV, newspapers, and health portals. 

To further solidify our commitment to patient advocacy, we were honoured to be re-elected as a member of the North Estonian Regional Hospital’s patient advisory board for the period 2024-2027. 

As we move into 2024, our Society will continue our focus on science, innovation, and collaborations with patient associations, both within Estonia and abroad.  

Elen Kirt, Estonian Stroke Patients’ Society 

 

If you have any questions about Estonia’s activities, please contact Elen Kirt elen@insuldiselts.ee

If you have news to share about your organisation, please e-mail Anna Scott on anna.scott@safestroke.eu