Together for Stroke Awareness Month 2026

Every May, Stroke Awareness Month brings people across Aotearoa together to raise awareness of stroke, how to prevent it, and how to support those affected.

Led by Stroke Aotearoa New Zealand, this year’s campaign focuses on turning awareness into action. Stroke remains a leading cause of adult disability and second leading cause of death in New Zealand. Yet up to 90% of strokes are preventable.

Throughout the month, we’ll share practical ways to reduce your risk, highlight the experiences of stroke survivors, and provide opportunities to get involved.

Prevention is at the heart of this year’s campaign. These are all practical, achievable steps to reduce your risk of stroke without needing to change your lifestyle completely.

• Quit smoking
• Reduce salt intake
• Stay active
• Healthy living

Get involved with Stroke Awareness Month – whether that’s through signing up for the Road to Recovery, taking some steps to reduce your risk of stroke, or reaching out to our team for support.

Stroke Aotearoa New Zealand’s mission is to prevent stroke and improve lives. This month, we also want to highlight the resources available to stroke survivors, people who work with the stroke affected community, and anyone interested in learning more about stroke. Stroke Aotearoa runs a free helpline, 0800 STROKE (0800 78 76 53), where anyone – including whānau, caregivers, community workers, and health professionals – can get support and guidance. You can also find free resources, or learn about free events we’re running, on the Stroke Aotearoa website.

Together, we can build a stronger, healthier Aotearoa!

The Road to Recovery is a nationwide movement challenge, highlighting the effort stroke survivors put into their rehabilitation and treatment. We’ve teamed up with physiotherapist Mark Adams to challenge the public to get involved with the recovery of stroke survivors and recognise their hard work.

Throughout May, we’re encouraging anyone and everyone to track their movement through kilometers walked, danced, cycled, all while raising funds to support stroke services. This challenge is open to individuals, workplaces, and community groups, and is a simple way to stay active while supporting others.

We’ll be sharing participant stories and progress across the month.

This month also shines a light on the Camino de Santiago trek, sending a group of passionate stroke supporters across the world this September.

This five-day, 100km challenge offers a way to turn awareness into action. It reflects the one of the key messages of Stroke Awareness Month – that regular physical activity plays an important role in reducing stroke risk.

Stroke Awareness Month is also about sharing the experiences of stroke survivors, whānau and carers. These stories help build understanding of the impact of stroke and reduce stigma. They also highlight the importance of support during recovery and beyond.

View more stories.