Please read the information below to obtain a comprehensive understanding of what our organization is about.  Questions should be directed to Steve Mallory, smallory@strokenetwork.org

History:

Our on-line stroke support community initially began in 1995 on AOL as regularly scheduled chat sessions for Stroke Support, which was made up of about 30 stroke survivors and stroke caregivers. Little did I know that this small group would eventually become the start of the membership for the non-profit website that is now known as The Stroke Network.

What happened is that I emailed the management at AOL and made them aware of the need for a stroke support chat room. They agreed wholeheartedly! Up to this point, stroke support on AOL just consisted of a small message board forum. I hosted the monthly chat session, which quickly became bi-monthly and then weekly. I was the Stroke Support chat host for over three years.

During our chat meetings we discussed serious and common issues relating to stroke, plus we enjoyed our social interactions. One night, one of our discussions was about having a place where stroke survivors and stroke caregivers could go to on the Internet for support and, more importantly, to gather information about stroke. Back in those days, 1996, the web was relatively new and there was extremely little information about stroke. We wanted to get ourselves organized and thought that possibly a web page might prove to be the focal point that we needed.

I volunteered to get things organized and figured out how to make and publish a web page. The web page was known on AOL as Stroke Support & Information. It was actually an AOL personal website. The problem with this is that the domain name was owned by AOL. So, to break free of AOL and to become an independently owned website, we renamed our site to The Stroke Network with its current domain name of strokenetwork.org, in January 2000.

Our website has the privilege of being the very first on-line stroke support site on the Internet! 

Also, I knew we would need funding to keep our doors open for many years so I found a lawyer that would help make us a legitimate organization. We were incorporated in September 2001 and we received approval as a 501(c )3 non-profit charity in March of 2002.

The Stroke Network was amongst the first on-line 501(c)3 non-profit organizations, as well. 

I had created a website that had evolved from just one web page to over eight networked websites with over 100 pages, making it what is today, The Stroke Network. There were no other on-line stroke support groups until I published my web page. We started with just three volunteer staff members. Today, we are managed by 45 unpaid volunteer staff members and 13 volunteers on our board of directors.

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Mission Statement:

Our mission is to provide on-line support to survivors of stroke and stroke caregivers. We also want to educate you about stroke and to provide as many resources and other types of information as we can.

We want to bring support to the stroke survivors and other members of the stroke family that want to use the Internet as a medium for bringing a support group right into your home. We are aware that not everybody has the luxury of having a Stroke or Caregiver Support Group close to them or at a time that is convenient nor does everybody have the transportation to travel when you want.

Our hope is that we can provide on-line assistance to the stroke survivor and their loved ones and help them transition from a life of being able-bodied to one of living with the disabilities that stroke can cause. 

 If you have a computer and are on-line we hope that we can help you.

10 good reasons why you might want to register:

1. Do you have a local stroke support group in your area?

2. Do you want or need stroke support 24/7?

3. Do you live in an inconvenient location from the stroke support group?

4. Do you have to arrange transportation special in order to make it to the group meetings?

5. Are the meetings held at an inconvenient time?

6. Are you embarrassed to speak in a group setting?

7. Can you talk?

8. Did your stroke adversely affect your speech making it difficult to communicate with others?

9. Do you have aphasia and have difficulty with communication?

10. Do you need to communicate with others at your own speed?

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Web Site Network Structure:

The Stroke Network, Inc. consists of several sites which make up a network of sites, thus the organization. We are making these sites available in hopes that we can provide the best stroke support and Information available on the Internet.

We recognize that stroke resources are necessary also, especially immediately after a stroke. You can read our information about stroke and also find all the support that you need, survivors and caregivers, right here on our network.

The Stroke Network  http://www.strokenetwork.org/ Homepage, landing site for our network of websites.  On-line Stroke Support Community http://www.strokeboard.net/ Message Board - Forums, Blogs and Gallery.  Stroke survivor and stroke caregiver support.  http://www.strokechat.net/ Daily Chat Sessions Twice per Day.  Information Resources http://www.strokenet.info/ Links, Explanation of Brainstem Stroke, Information about Central Pain Syndrome, Newsletter Archive, Financial Help, Bookshop, Newsfeed, and an archive of stroke related articles. About Us http://www.strokenetwork.net/ History, Mission, Policies, FAQ, Guestbook, Information for - Donating, Contacting Us, Fundraisers, Accreditations, Our Location, Site Search, etc. Stroke Education   http://www.strokeeducation.info/ Causes, Types, Rehabilitation, Recovery and A - Z Glossary of definitions of stroke terminology.  Stroke Awareness http://www.strokeawareness.org/ Warning signs, Tests and Diagnostics, Stroke Recognition, Statistics,  Prevention and Reduction and our Stroke Awareness Quilts. StrokeNet Blog http://www.strokenetblog.net/ Blogs written about stroke.

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Outreach Projects

Our organization has planned and completed several local and International community Outreach Projects.  It is our goal to reach out to the community and to provide whatever we can and in as many ways as possible.  The following are a list of our community outreach projects: 

	Caregiver Handbook Purpose - To assist the new stroke caregiver.  How - Written by members of our organization.  Example - click here
	Stroke Awareness Quilts Purpose - To raise awareness about stroke.  How - Fabricated by members of our organization.  Example - click here
	Computer Therapy Purpose - To help stroke survivors and caregivers, who are still in the rehab hospital, become familiar with on-line stroke support.  How - Donated several computers to a local hospital.  Example - click here
	Helping Hand Purpose - To assist one handed stroke survivors open kitchen items.  How - Donated 100 units to a local hospital.
	Presentation Table Purpose - To educate the public about the benefits of on-line stroke support.  How - By having a presentation table at several conferences.
	Speaking Engagements Purpose - To educate local stroke support groups about the option of on-line stroke support.  How - Spoke at several hospitals at their stroke support meetings.

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Accreditations

Rated as a top 5 stroke information web site by:

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Stroke Awareness

Our organization takes the responsibility to educate our society about stroke very seriously.  We want to raise stroke awareness and provide educational information about stroke.  To do this we have developed a web site that is dedicated to stroke awareness and another website that contains educational information about stroke.  In addition, we have opened an on-line store and have discounted our prices for all stroke awareness items. 

	Stroke Awareness http://www.strokeawareness.org/ http://www.StrokeEducation.info/
	On-line Store http://www.strokenetstore.net/

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Location:

The Stroke Network has no boundaries and has members on-line from all over the world. Every continent is represented.  We are truly an International organization.  No matter where you live we are there for you!  Stroke is not just located in one region but rather it draws no borders and affects anyone, no matter where you live.  Nobody will be excluded from The Stroke Network, north, south, east or west...black, white, brown, red or any color. Anyone in cyberspace that is in the stroke family is welcome here. We are all brothers and sisters of stroke.

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Contact Information: 

Our headquarters is located in Maryland. Our mailing address is:

The Stroke Network, Inc.
PO Box 492  Abingdon, MD 21009

Steve Mallory
Founder, President & CEO
smallory@strokenetwork.org
http://www.stevemallory.org/

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  Copyright  of The Stroke Network
All rights reserved.
Original date 3/1/96 Revised 11/24/08