Category: News

It’s common for stroke survivors to want to get back to work as soon as possible. There’s the financial motivation  — you may just need the income — but there’s also an emotional pull. A stroke can rob you of some of your sense of self-worth. If your physical or mental abilities have been limited by the stroke, you may feel you are not the whole person you once were. But if your work provides you with a lot of satisfaction, and if your job is important because you manage other people or because you are a key contributor on a team that has a critical mission, getting back to work can restore that self-worth and increase your self-esteem.

If you return to work with a disability that you didn’t have before, several different things may happen.

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, your employer may be required to provide an accommodation to help compensate for the disability.  That can be something as simple as a specialized chair or a change in your duties so that you no longer have to climb ladders or stairs.  One expert in the field estimated that more than half of all accommodations cost less than $100 and many are paid for out of public funds.

If your disability prevents you from operating efficiently in your former position, you may have to transfer to a new one. Having a positive attitude about this is crucial.  Rather than thinking of it as a demotion (which it may or may not be), recognize that your employer thinks enough of you to find you a worthwhile place in the company.  Whatever the new position is, if you make up your mind you’re going to be every bit as good at that as you were in your former role, you probably will have a long and fulfilling career with that organization.

Some people have a stroke, and no further negative event.  But some suffer post-stroke complications that need to be treated.  These may include a swelling of the brain, pneumonia, which is common after many illnesses, depression, which we’ll discuss more in a moment, and physical afflictions like urinary tract infections and bed sores. Your medical team will monitor your condition and treat any complication as soon as it appears.

If somebody who has never had a stroke tells you, “I know exactly how you feel,” be polite and maybe not answer at all, because the fact is that person can’t possibly know what you are going through. For example, you’ll find it hard to control your emotions after a stroke. Suddenly important things you had counted on doing may have to be cancelled or at least postponed. It’s not uncommon for people to fall into depression after a stroke. If so, don’t hesitate to ask for help.

You may also feel frustrated that you can’t do what you would like.  You may suffer anxiety because the doctor can’t tell you exactly what your future will be like. Depending upon your makeup, you wish to lash out in anger. Or maybe you just say “I quit,” and give up.

Confide in your medical team.  Let them know how you feel. If they prescribe medication or other treatment, cooperate with them fully. It’s the only way you will recover.

Wristband Creation of Burbank, California has generously donated 200 Stroke Awareness wrist bands to the RTH Stroke Foundation. These types of bands have been proven to assist in emergency situations, especially in the case of stroke, and we would like to extend our thanks to this company for donating them and assisting us in the fight against stroke.

Attend our upcoming seminars to get a chance to take some of these wristbands home. We will be offering them to attendees of our events until they run out.

For more information on Wristband Creation, visit their website here: WristbandCreation.com

Or call them today at: (800) 403-8050

From Keck School of Medicine of USC, Wednesday, May 16, 2012 

The Roxanna Todd Hodges Foundation, which is dedicated to preventing stroke, made a $6 million gift to establish the Roxanna Todd Hodges Comprehensive Stroke Clinic and the Roxanna Todd Hodges Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) Program at the Keck School of Medicine of USC.

“This is an extraordinary gift,” said Keck School of Medicine of USC Dean Carmen A. Puliafito. “The best strategy against it is prevention. I will do whatever I can to make these programs successful and ones that the Roxanna Todd Hodges Foundation can be very proud of.”

Click here to read the entire article.

Some time around 400 B.C., Hippocrates, often called the father of western medicine, first recognized stroke, which at that time was called apoplexy.

Because doctors knew so little about the brain, for centuries the cause of the condition remained a medical mystery.  Not until 1600 did doctors understand that strokes were “brain attacks” associated with blockages and bleeding in the brain.

A stroke occurs when there is an interruption or blockage of blood supply to the brain tissue. Blood is vital to brain cell health, as it carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain, so without oxygen and nutrients, the brain cells will begin to die.

Stroke can occur either because:

1) A blood vessel in the brain is blocked by a clot or plaque (ischemic stroke)

2) A blood vessel in the brain ruptures (hemorrhagic stroke)

Today, stroke is the fifth leading cause of death and the leading cause of adult disability in the United States. Each year, approximately 800,000 people suffer a stroke, with 2/3 of survivors left with some type of disability. Stroke can happen to anyone at any time, regardless of race, sex or age.

It’s natural for stroke survivors to get a serious case of the blues. Your world has been unexpectedly turned on its head. But you don’t have to go it alone during your recovery and beyond.  The RTH Stroke Foundation offers free twice monthly Stroke Support Groups where stroke survivors and their family members, friends and others learn more about a stroke, share their experiences, and become inspired to move forward. It’s not possible to overstate what hugely positive effects these support groups have in the lives of stroke survivors and those close to them.

A stroke can be very isolating, so it is important for stroke survivors to meet regularly with other members who will help each of them face and overcome common challenges. A stroke support group is a place for stroke survivors and caregivers to make new friends, socialize, gain realistic feedback, help others and find meaning in life that may have been lacking in their lives since their stroke. Stroke support groups often are the key to uncovering the hidden strengths in many survivors with the warmth, acceptance and emotional support that is needed after a stroke.

The RTH Stroke Foundation Stroke Support Group meets the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month from 1:30PM to 3:00PM in Suite 110 of the Roxanna Todd Hodges Foundation Office. There is no cost. For any questions or if you want to register, please contact Janet French at (888) 794-9466 or (949) 916-1597.

Click here for more information and a schedule.

To all our visitors we are happy to announce that our website is back online after a two week absence. We are sorry to have been offline so long but it was necessary to go through with a major update. All our services continue to be available and you may check our calendar for a list of upcoming events.

Thank you for your continued support.

RTH Staff.

The Foundation’s S.M.A.R.T.® and Seminar Programs are off to a good start and already making significant gains in primary stroke education and prevention in the first quarter of 2017. So far, 12 different seminars have been conducted across Los Angeles and Orange County, resulting in the education of 605 people, 457 of which were screened for stroke risk.

S.M.A.R.T.® has been working heavily as well, and already four different schools have partnered with the program to bring stroke education to over 500 students in Biomed and Health Classes. On Tuesday March 7, 2017, Cheryl Ming gave her testimony as a stroke survivor to over a hundred students in Mrs. Bochove and Mr. Davenport’s Biomedical classes at Warren High School in Downey. Cheryl had been the victim of a brain stem stroke in 2001 which left her with a very debilitating condition known as Locked-In-Syndrome, in which the sufferer becomes physically trapped by their body due to the damage of the Pons in the brain stem. With much work, Cheryl was able to overcome her condition and now moves and speaks and is the holder of over 3 degrees including a Master’s in Public Health. Cheryl is currently an intern teaching Health and Human Sexuality at Long Beach City College and has hopes of landing a job where she can use her talents. In her spare time she likes to spend time with her two children, and the students at Warren High were captivated by her powerful testimony. See the pictures below of Mr. Davenport’s class where Cheryl and the S.M.A.R.T.® Staff presented to the students.

(Reposted From Facebook) Our foundation was honored to have been a part of the 3rd Annual Skid Row Carnival of Love this Saturday where we educated THOUSANDS of people in this homeless community on stroke prevention. Thank you to Keck Medicine of USC for allowing us to join you and provide hundreds of free blood pressure screenings.

Music filled the streets, along with carnival games, face painting, clowns, and many “FREE HUGS!”. Additionally, so many amazing local organizations came together to provide medical, legal, and hygiene assistance; including: feet washing, mobile showers, barbershops/hair cuts, counseling, blood pressure and glucose screenings, HIV and STD checks, insurance companies, legal companies, and so many more! Starbucks even hired 3 people!

Free hygiene bags were passed out to every attendee, along with thousands of donated items including: clothes, socks, shoes, blankets, strollers, toys, feminine products, and so much more. Food trucks were also providing free food and water.

A HUGE thank you to Wayfarer Entertainment and Justin Baldoni for organizing this event. It truly was a beautiful day filled with love, support, and education.