The World Stroke Organization (WSO) was established in October 2006 from the merger of the International Stroke Society (ISS) and the World Stroke Federation (WSF), the two lead organizations representing stroke globally. The mission of WSO is to provide access to stroke care and to promote research and teaching in this area that will improve the care of stroke victims throughout the world.

The WSO biennial Congress attracts up to 2400 participants and WSO also endorses national and regional stroke conferences worldwide.

WSO Journal, the International Journal of Stroke, launched in 2005, is a clinically-oriented and truly global journal.

Membership is open to anyone (professional individuals as well as professional and stroke support organizations) interested in stroke. WSO will cooperate with voluntary organizations, official agencies and industrial enterprises having related interests.