Empowering Every First Step: Introducing StrokeConnect

10 Nov 2025 Stroke support

At the Singapore National Stroke Association (SNSA), we believe no stroke survivor should walk their recovery journey alone. Medical care begins in hospital, but life after discharge brings new challenges: loneliness, anxiety, uncertainty and the quiet task of rebuilding confidence. Many survivors tell us the hardest part is not the stroke itself, but what happens after. StrokeConnect was created in response to this lived reality. It began with a simple question from survivors and caregivers: “Who will walk with me when I go home?”

Over the years, survivors, caregivers, clinicians and partners have shaped the foundations of Singapore’s first peer-led national post-stroke support model, grounded in dignity, shared strength and lived experience. At its heart is our belief in Empowering Every First Step. Every journey begins differently, but each one starts with a first step, sometimes slow, sometimes uncertain, always courageous. Our role is to walk that first step with them.

Why StrokeConnect Matters

While survivors receive clinical care in hospital, many face emotional and social challenges once they return home. Feelings of isolation are common. Caregivers often shoulder heavy burdens quietly. StrokeConnect offers:

Emotional support and listening
Peer guidance from trained stroke survivors
Information on services and community resources
Referral pathways to professional support if needed
Connection to community groups and continued engagement

This approach aligns with Singapore’s national direction on Age Well Communities, highlighted by our Prime Minister during the National Day Rally, building neighbourhood-based support networks so people can age and recover well in the community. StrokeConnect contributes to this vision by ensuring survivors and caregivers have peer support close to home.

Foundations Built So Far

To prepare for StrokeConnect, SNSA has:

Trained more than 120 befrienders, including survivors and caregivers
Built partnerships with nine healthcare institutions
Delivered over 90 community programmes supporting more than 1,600 individuals
Conducted hospital and community befriending
Established partnerships with Samaritans of Singapore, Lions Befrienders and Caregiving Welfare Association
Received mentoring support from Stroke Foundation Australia

These steps have helped shape a strong, community-grounded start.

Our Path Ahead

StrokeConnect will begin with a six-month pilot in 2026, followed by a national launch during SNSA’s 30th anniversary year. This phased approach will ensure thoughtful implementation and meaningful evaluation so the programme can grow in a sustainable way.

Walking Together

At SNSA, Empowering Every First Step is not simply a tagline. It reflects our belief that recovery happens one moment of courage at a time and that even the smallest steps deserve support, encouragement and dignity. As we prepare for our pilot, we remain guided by a simple commitment, to empower every first step.

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