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About us

Stroke is a leading cause of adult disability and one of the biggest killers across Europe. It is predicted that by 2040, there will be 12 million people living with stroke in Europe.

We are a non-profit organisation representing stroke support groups across Europe, with 37 members in 32 countries. Founded in 2004, we lead projects to change policy and work in advocacy across the whole stroke care pathway.

Our vision and goals

Stroke is a leading cause of adult disability and one of the biggest killers across Europe. It is predicted that by 2040, there will be 12 million people living with stroke in Europe.

As the only European umbrella organisation dedicated to SSOs, we represent more than nine million stroke survivors. We work to reduce the scale and impact of stroke by leading policy and advocacy efforts at the European level, addressing the entire stroke care pathway through coordinated campaigns, education, research and awareness initiatives.

Our vision

We want a Europe where preventable stroke is eliminated; death and disability is minimised and every person affected by stroke lives their best life possible.

Our mission

Over the next five years and beyond, our mission is to reduce the incidence and impact of stroke in Europe, by bringing together and empowering SSOs to deliver campaigns, advocacy, education, research and raise awareness.

Our goals

That everyone affected by stroke is supported by a national stroke support organisation
A substantial reduction in preventable stroke through acting on risk factors and symptoms
Making stroke a European health, care, social and research priority
Equality of stroke care in each European country through implementation of comprehensive national stroke strategies
Maximise our effectiveness by being a professional, ethical, financially stable and sustainable organisation

Our recent successes

Advocating for stroke
In 2025, we continued to be a strong voice for stroke at European level. As co-chairs of the Stroke Action Plan for Europe (SAP-E) implementation committee with the European Stroke Organisation, we supported the view and update of the Stroke Action Plan for Europe, which was published in January 2026.

We were active in the EU ahead of the publication of the EU Cardiovascular Health (CVH) Plan, meeting with the then new EU Health Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi, responding to consultations, attending the launch of the MEP CVH group meetings and held our first EU event in over seven years, ‘Closing the Gaps in Stroke Care: A Call to Action for Europe, calling for greater inclusion of stroke in the EU CVH Plan. Many of our members took part in these opportunities with us.

Strengthening Stroke Support Organisations
Our members remain at the heart of everything we do. Our growing membership now spans 37 organisations across 31 countries. Our 2025 members survey, member meetings and the Collaborative Space continue to spark new ideas and connections across Europe.

Raising awareness of brain health and preventing stroke
We continued to promote brain health and stroke prevention through our strokeprevention.info website with accessible, evidence-based content available in multiple languages, supporting awareness of modifiable risk factors and encouraging brain health and stroke prevention across Europe.

Along with three of our members, we took part in a Delphi research project, which developed 11 consensus statements on secondary prevention including the burden of recurrent stroke, treatment and lifestyle interventions, management of stroke care and future needs to enhance SSP.

Focusing on life after stroke
We held our 3^rd in-person European Life After Stroke Forum (ELASF) in Prague; a key highlight was the launch of the lived experience abstracts. Many members were involved in the ELASF through taking part in the programme committee, speaking at the event and presenting posters.

We also established the first European Life After Stroke Task Force which address the issues of life after stroke outlined in the Stroke Action Plan for Europe.

Supporting research
We will continue to play an active role in EU-funded stroke research projects, helping communicate results to stroke survivors, families and clinicians across Europe. 21 members took part in Brain Awareness Week and 16 took part in World Stroke Day dissemination activities

Together, we are shaping a better future for everyone affected by stroke.

Our 2026 priorities

We will develop our plan for SSO capacity building based on the dedicated workshop at the Prague ELASF and 2025-member survey results, and regular Collaborative Space meetings.
In partnership with ESO, we will launch the 2024 SAP-E Stroke Services Tracker data on European Stroke Awareness Day and the updated SAP-E along with supporting advocacy tools.
We will work to ensure stroke remains a priority in the European cardiovascular health agenda, the EACH CVH plan, and attending MEP group meetings. A new communications plan will be developed with members to boost participation and visibility.
We will host the ELASF 2026 in Stockholm and plan for ELASF 2027 in Krakow.
We will develop the European Life After Stroke Task Force to provide leadership on life after stroke services in Europe. We will launch a lived experience network to support our work.
In prevention, we will expand our online resources and visibility.

Why continue to be a member of SAFE?

As our member, you will:

Access a range of benefits to help support your work and growth (see below).
Help build a network across Europe and strengthen the collective voice of SSOs.
Use our logo (after approval) on your materials as appropriate.
Enhance our ability to drive change on stroke across Europe. Your logo and membership will be recognised on our website and appropriately in our materials.
Ensure that the voice of stroke survivors and carers is heard in the discussions about policy and stroke resources at both EU and national level.

What are the benefits of being a member?

One free place at the European Life After Stroke Forum (ELASF).
5% discount on additional ELASF places.
Attendance for up to two representatives at SAFE member meetings held alongside ELASF.
Opportunities to present at members meetings.
Networking with your peers through member meetings and subgroups.
Access to information, templates and pre-produced campaign and awareness materials.
Opportunities to support SAFE’s work.
Access to the strokeprevention.info website in your own language
Invitation to SAFE General Assembly meetings.
Board and officer election voting rights.
Eligible to stand for board and officer election.
Access to SAFE member-only online area on the SAFE website.
Listing in the SAFE online membership directory.
Right to use ‘member of SAFE’ logo on corporate materials (upon approval).
Opportunity to submit conferences and educational activities for SAFE endorsement.
Letters of support from SAFE for national advocacy on key stroke issues
Regular members’ only newsletters.
Showcase your work on a European level on our communication platforms such as our website, social media, networks and newsletter.

Who can join?

Our membership creates a community with like-minded organisations. Membership is open to civil society organisations from Europe engaged in supporting stroke survivors. Membership is available via three categories ordinary members, associate members and honorary members.

Ordinary membership confers voting rights and full ability to engage in all initiatives and consultations, and to access SAFE streams of funding if appropriate, and support to templates, press releases, the SSOFT training modules and all other material produced to support members to pursue their goals as SSOs.

Membership of SAFE will confer recognition of the organisation as a supporter of SAFE and the support of the voice of stroke survivors and carers in the stroke world, European (as defined by the World Health Organization) national organisations constituted according to the laws and customs of their country of origin, which represent the voice of stroke survivors and their families, support those at risk of and affected by stroke, and operate with a priority concern for life after stroke.

They will be non-profit, non-governmental organisations. The organisation will be able to demonstrate their involvement with stroke survivors and their families in the community, and that the aims of your organisation are guided by stroke survivor and family priorities.

Associate membership is available to organisations, constituted according to the laws and customs of their country of origin, which support those at risk of and affected by stroke, and who do not fulfil the criteria for ordinary membership.

They may be organisations or societies concerned with representing or driving forward the interests of medical professionals or researchers, or health professionals working in stroke related nursing, therapy, research and development. These will often be commercial organisations concerned with the development of treatments, aids, drugs, services, or research.

Associate membership does not confer voting rights and full access to all the benefits of ordinary membership but may confer access to many benefits such as SSOFT training modules, information and campaign resources, invitations to events and participation in appropriate consultation initiatives, and gatherings. It also confers recognition of the organisation as a supporter of SAFE and the support of the voice of stroke survivors and carers in the stroke world.

Honorary members are individuals or organisations, constituted according to the law and customs of their country of origin, which have provided outstanding support to SAFE in furtherance of its objectives. It does not confer automatic voting rights or automatic usage of logo.

2026 subscription fees

Annual turnover				Fee 2026	Fee 2025
< €200,000			=	€591	€574
€ 200,000	to	€ 500,000	=	€887	€861
€ 500,000	to	€ 1,000,000	=	€1,206	€1170
€ 1,000,000	to	€ 2,000,000	=	€2,411	€2,341
€ 2,000,000	to	€ 3,000,000	=	€3,710	€3,602
€ 3,000,000	to	€ 4,000,000	=	€4,824	€4.683
€ 4,000,000	to	€ 5,000,000	=	€6,141	€5,962
€ 5,000,000	to	€ 6,000,000	=	€7,235	€7,024
€ 6,000,000	to	€ 7,000,000	=	€8,442	€8.196
€ 7,000,000	to	€ 8,000,000	=	€9,648	€9,367
€ 8,000,000	to	€ 9,000,000	=	€10,854	€10,538
> €9,000,000			=	€12,060	€11,709