Stroke Survivors Empowering Each Other (SSEEO)

06/20/2025

June 20 - Summer Begins

06/18/2025

Farewell - June 2025

Dear Members, Supporters, and Partners of the SSEEO Community:

We hope this message finds you and your loved ones in good health and spirits.

It is with deep sadness and a heavy heart that we write to inform you that Stroke Survivors Empowering Each Other, Inc. (SSEEO) will be closing its doors, effective as of June 30, 2025. After careful consideration and exhaustive efforts to secure sustainable funding, we have come to the difficult conclusion that we are no longer able to continue operations.

Since our founding in 2004, our mission has been to support stroke survivors and their caregivers with compassion, resources, and community. Thanks to your involvement and support, we’ve been able to serve thousands of families, provide hundreds of hours of support programming, and foster a community of resilience and hope.

Unfortunately, despite the dedication of our staff, volunteers, and donors, the financial challenges have become too great to overcome. We explored multiple paths to remain open, but ultimately, none proved viable.

We are committed to ensuring a smooth and respectful transition. In the coming weeks, we will be working to connect our members with other organizations and resources that may be able to continue supporting your journey. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at [email protected] if you need help navigating those options.

Thank you for being part of our community. It has been an honor to walk this path with you. While SSEEO may be closing, we hope the spirit of support and connection we’ve built together will live on.

With gratitude and warmth,
SSEEO Board of Directors

06/16/2025

Make it a great Monday!

06/13/2025

June's full moon is called the Strawberry Moon which is a nod to strawberry season. Enjoy a healthy strawberry recipe.

Grilled Avocado with Strawberry and Honey

Ingredients
Servings 4 Serving Size 1/2 avocado

2 cups strawberries, hulled and quartered
1 tablespoon honey
2 small avocados, halved and pitted
Cooking spray
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
Directions
Tip: Click on step to mark as complete.

In a small bowl, gently stir together the strawberries and honey. Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 4 hours, stirring occasionally to let the strawberries macerate and release their natural juices.

When the strawberries are ready, preheat the grill on medium high.

Lightly spray each avocado with cooking spray. Place the avocados on the grill with the stem side facing 10 o’clock. Grill for 1 to 2 minutes. Rotate the avocados so that the stem side is facing 2 o'clock. Grill for 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the avocado halves to plates with the flesh side up.

Fold the mint into the strawberry mixture.
Spoon the strawberry mixture over each avocado half.

Reference:

This fresh summer dessert is a perfect finale to any grilled entrée. It’s sweet, simple, and super delicious.  

06/11/2025

June is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Awareness Month

One in four people who survive a stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) suffer from symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) within the first year post-event, and one in nine experience chronic PTSD more than a year later. The data suggest that each year nearly 300,000 stroke/TIA survivors will develop PTSD symptoms as a result of their health scare. The study, led by Columbia University Medical Center researchers.

Read more https://www.cuimc.columbia.edu/news/1-4-stroke-patients-suffer-ptsdat

06/09/2025

Happy Monday!

06/06/2025

June 6th is National Gardening Exercise Day

You might not think of gardening as an alternative to the gym, but it can be a great physical exercise. Any gardener will tell you that squatting to pick weeds will get those quads burning so get outside and garden.

06/04/2025

https://soundcloud.com/user-877676804/stroke-talk-aphasia-stroke-may-2019June is Aphasia Awareness Month.

Two million people in the United States have aphasia, but 84.5% of Americans state that they’ve never heard the term aphasia.

Aphasia, the loss or impairment of language caused by brain damage, is one of the most devastating cognitive impairments of stroke.

Learn more about stroke and aphasia at https://soundcloud.com/user-877676804/stroke-talk-aphasia-stroke-may-2019

05/30/2025

May 30th is National Creativity Day!

Unleash your inner artist and let creativity run wild! From painting to poetry, there's no limit to what you can create. So grab your brushes, pens, or whatever inspires you, and let the magic of imagination take over.

Learn more art therapy and stroke at https://sseeo.org/podcast-art-therapy -eeb1-4ce6-b901-90a19b4da3e2

05/28/2025

Strokes are a leading cause of disability and the second leading cause of death in the United States, according to the American Stroke Association. The impact a stroke can have on the body varies and each person’s stroke recovery is different.

An exoskeleton machine is a piece of equipment that has become an important advancement in stroke recovery in both inpatient and outpatient settings.

“An exoskeleton is a great tool we can use to help a variety of patients,” says Kayla Movrich, a physical therapist at Aurora Health Care. “For patients who are recovering from a stroke, it can help with improving their walking and gait.”

The wearable suit gives stroke survivors strength and support — helping them bear their own weight and re-teaching the body how to walk again. The exoskeleton uses connected motors and joints that run on a power source. It constantly is monitoring the stroke survivor’s movement. A physical therapist or someone from the survivor’s care team walks with them and provides the level of assistance needed.

Resistance and assistance settings can be customized based on the stroke survivor’s needs. It can also be adjusted to fit their body.

“We can customize the exoskeleton to each patient based on their goals,” explains Movrich. “It’s so rewarding to see the progress a patient makes throughout their journey.”

Movrich shares some additional benefits an exoskeleton can have on stroke recovery:

-Re-teaches brain and muscles how to walk: This suit can be used at any point in stroke recovery.
-Improves gait: For example, if a stroke survivors foot is dragging or their leg is facing inward or outward when they walk, the exoskeleton can help correct these gait impairments.
-Assists with mobility and balance: The exoskeleton can help the stoke survivor bear weight and improve weight shifting that is necessary to progress their walking and balance.

Along with stroke recovery, exoskeletons are commonly used in rehabilitation for spinal cord injuries, brain injuries and multiple sclerosis.

Reference:

An exoskeleton is a wearable suit that gives stroke survivors strength and support as they relearn to walk.

05/26/2025

Happy Memorial Day!