STROKE survivor Daryll Cook expected to be dead by now.
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In fact the Ulladulla resident said he was still surprised to wake up every day.
While he is one of the lucky ones, having survived a massive stroke in 1989, Mr Cook says he is not surprised at a new report that puts Gilmore residents towards the top of the danger list.
His own experience and subsequent recovery sparked a campaign to establish a stroke unit in Shoalhaven Hospital.
The National Stroke Foundation report, “Stroke in Australia: No postcode untouched” shows Gilmore is in trouble nationally.
According to the survey Gilmore has 3718 stroke survivors, placing it at the second worst position in NSW.
Mr Cook was not surprised by the figures and called for an expansion of the six-bed stroke unit at Shoalhaven Hospital for which he spent eight years campaigning.
“We only have a six-bed unit and it is doing fantastic work, saving hundreds of local lives, but we need more resources,” he said.
“We need to have a 20-bed unit and these figures show that.”
Mr Cook said the ageing population in Gilmore certainly contributed to our high rate of stroke, but added residents also had to look at their lifestyles.
“We have obesity problems. We eat far too much processed food and we eat the wrong sorts of food. Smoking is an issue and of course lack of exercise,” he said.
He admitted he was a chain smoker and a drinker at the time of his stroke.
“I collapsed with a stroke and didn’t really have much to live for. I thought I’d die but I didn’t.
“I found out there was nothing for people who have a stroke. So I formed a stroke recovery club in Nowra, Ulladulla, Batemans Bay and Bega.
“I visited the stroke unit in Nepean Hospital and I wanted that for us.
“So I drove two Premiers and three health ministers mental for eight years.
“We found $2.1 million to create the stroke unit in Shoalhaven, but it hasn’t been improved since.”
According to the report it costs the nation about $5 billion a year to care for people who have suffered strokes.
“There is a national trend of people suffering more strokes. This report doesn’t paint the Shoalhaven or Gilmore in a great light and we need more facilities,” Mr Cook said.
“Stroke needs to be addressed rather than car parks and highways.
“But what is the first thing Canberra does? Attack health care and education.”
As for his own recovery, and his ongoing campaign, Mr Cook said, “I’m still alive I’m still going.”