Grant: Travel Awards - Institute Community Support

Stroke can change every part of a person's life, including their ability to work, connect socially, and access care. My research focuses on creative and inclusive ways to understand and improve stroke recovery. I have been invited to present at the World Stroke Congress in October 2025. I will share innovative methods like Photovoice, which uses photos and stories to help people with stroke express their experiences and shape better services. I will also co-lead an international meeting with the World Stroke Organization and community partners across Africa to map the stroke care journey and identify service gaps. This collaboration will help create practical solutions for improving care in diverse settings. In addition, I will present two posters that share findings from two studies: The first study explores how Photovoice can be adapted to make research more accessible and meaningful for ethnically diverse people with stroke. The second study examines how to provide compassionate virtual peer support, ensuring people feel understood and supported even when programs are online. These activities will advance global conversations on equity, inclusion, and patient-centered care in stroke recovery. By sharing Canadian innovations and learning from international partners, this work will help build health systems that are more responsive, culturally safe, and supportive for people living with stroke worldwide. As an early-career researcher, this conference will be an opportunity to network and build my international stroke presence.