Oct 20, 2026
We are pleased to announce that registrations for the fifth in-person European Life After Stroke Forum in Kraków on the 8-9 March 2027 are now open.
The Forum is a unique event where healthcare professionals, researchers, policymakers and those affected by stroke come together to advance our understanding of life after stroke. Bringing the European stroke community under one roof, our programme spans the latest research, innovative service development and shared insights, working collectively to improve care and support across Europe.
Click to register
Oct 14, 2026
The Stroke Action Plan for Europe (SAP-E) is hosting a World Stroke Day Forum on 29 October 2026. The event is online, free to attend and open to everyone with an interest in improving stroke care.
The theme is ‘From Resolution to Action: Implementing the WHO Stroke Resolution and the Stroke Action Plan for Europe’.
The 2026 Forum spotlight Easter Europe showcasing national achievements, exploring shared challenges and strengthening cooperation across the SAP-E community.
The Forum is moderated by Professor Yuriy Flomin and Professor Francesca Romana Pezzella .
Event details
- Date: Thursday 29 October 2026
- Time: 9:30-11:30 CET
- Format: Virtual event
- Cost: Free, registration required
Whether you work in stroke care, policy, research or advocacy, or you have lived experience of stroke, we would be delighted to welcome you online.
Click to register
Oct 1, 2026
The World Stroke Organization (WSO) has launched a global survey to find out how the Post-Stroke Checklist is being used in practice and what is stopping it from being used more widely. SAFE encourages healthcare professionals and stroke support organisations across Europe to take part.
The Post-Stroke Checklist is a validated screening tool that helps professionals and stroke survivors talk through unmet needs at follow-up appointments and when moving between services. It was developed through international collaboration, is endorsed by WSO, and covers the areas of life most affected by stroke: mood and emotional wellbeing, cognition and communication, fatigue and sleep, pain and sensory changes, mobility and daily activities and carer strain and social support.
Yet little is known about how often the checklist is used in routine care, or what helps and hinders its use. The survey, led by WSO’s Stroke Support Organization Committee, aims to close that gap. It will also look at whether the checklist has been translated or adapted for different languages and cultures, a question that matters greatly across Europe’s many health systems.
The survey is open to stroke physicians, rehabilitation professionals, clinical and health system leaders, stroke programme leads, and representatives of stroke organisations worldwide. You don’t need to have used the checklist, the researchers want to hear from regular users, people who have tried it once and people who have never heard of it.
It takes around 15 minutes and asks about your familiarity with the checklist, how it is used in your setting, the barriers and enablers you see, and what would support wider uptake.
Click the link below to take part, it closes on the 30 November 2026.
Click to take survey
Jun 17, 2026
We are pleased to announce that abstract submissions for the European Life After Stroke Forum in Kraków are live.
We are seeking abstracts in three categories:
- Scientific – for completed or ongoing research focussed on life after stroke.
- Service development – for innovative service developments in life after stroke that could benefit others.
- Lived experience – for stroke survivors and those who have supported a loved one through stroke to share their experiences in creating change.
The European Life After Stroke Forum is home to Europe’s biggest life after stroke community, where healthcare professionals, researchers, policymakers and those affected by stroke come together to share knowledge, network and advance the challenges in life after stroke. Our 2027 programme will span the latest research, best practice and shared insights, with the voices of people with lived experience at its heart.
For more information or to submit an abstract, please click here.
Jun 4, 2026
A key component is the development of an EU approach to cardiovascular disease (CVD) health checks, aiming to support early identification of at-risk populations, including those with lifestyle risk factors, family history and interconnected conditions.
In April 2026, the Commission launched a Call for Evidence on CVD health checks to inform a future Council Recommendation on early detection and screening. SAFE supported the submission of the European Alliance for Cardiovascular Health and also provided a complementary submission.
May 22, 2026
Joint statement from the Stroke Alliance for Europe (SAFE) and the European Stroke Organisation (ESO)
We warmly welcome the adoption of the WHO resolution on stroke at the World Health Assembly. This landmark decision represents a long-overdue recognition of stroke as a global health priority, and a major driver of death and disability worldwide.
“For Europe, this moment is particularly significant. Stroke remains one of the leading causes of mortality and adult disability across the region, placing a profound burden on individuals, families, healthcare systems and economies. The WHO resolution sends a strong, unified signal that urgent and coordinated action is needed.” Arlene Wilkie, Director Geneal, Stroke Alliance for Europe.
The Stroke Action Plan for Europe (SAP-E), led by SAFE and ESO, provides a clear and evidence-based roadmap to reduce the burden of stroke by 2030. Its ambitions – including reducing stroke incidence, improving access to acute stroke care, ensuring equitable rehabilitation and strengthening prevention – are directly aligned with the objectives of the new WHO resolution.
However, adoption alone is not enough. The real impact of this resolution will depend on how it is translated into action at national level.
We therefore call on governments across Europe to:
- Prioritise stroke within national health agendas, recognising its significant human and economic impact
- Develop and implement fully funded national stroke plans, aligned with the Stroke Action Plan for Europe
- Have stronger emphasis on primary prevention of stroke, including risk‑factor management and public awareness
- Make clear commitments to ensuring that all stroke patients have access to dedicated and properly staffed stroke units
- Develop measurable targets for equitable access to acute stroke treatments
- Implement dedicated secondary prevention and follow-up
- Increase and sustain investment in rehabilitation, early supported discharge and community‑based services
- Implement a long‑term, person‑led approach to life after stroke, including structured follow‑up, social participation and quality‑of‑life support
- Develop robust monitoring and reporting mechanisms to track stroke-specific outcomes and reduce geographical and socioeconomic inequalities
- Increase investment in high‑quality, collaborative research across the entire stroke pathway, from prevention and acute treatment to rehabilitation and long‑term support, to strengthen evidence, drive innovation and reduce inequalities across Europe
“This is a pivotal opportunity to transform stroke care and outcomes across Europe. SAFE and ESO will work with governments, clinicians, patient communities and policymakers in turning this global commitment into tangible progress. Together, we can reduce the burden of stroke and improve the lives of millions of people across Europe.” Professor Simona Sacco, Past President, European Stroke Organisation.
Click here for more information
