The Eastern Kentucky Stroke Warriors, a support group of stroke survivors and caregivers, announced the first Rural Appalachia Stroke Camp will be held Sept. 25, 2021 at Buckhorn Lake State Resort Park.  The group is partnering with the University of Kentucky Center of Excellence in Rural Health (UK CERH) and the Kentucky Appalachian Rural Rehabilitation Network (KARRN) to host stroke survivors and caregivers for a fun-filled day to relax, learn and rejuvenate.

The theme of the camp is It’s Your Day: Refresh-Renew-Refocus.Keynote speakers will be providing information on stroke awareness, stress management, music therapy and healthy eating. Attendees can participate in a number of activities that will be adapted to stroke survivors’ needs, including fishing, boating, putt-putt golf, crafting and cooking demonstrations.

There is no cost to attend the day, but registration is required and attendance will be limited. The full agenda and registration will be available in July.

All activities held during the event will strictly adhere to COVID-19 public health guidelines requiring masks, social distancing and related safeguards. In the event that changes must be made to the camp’s format or schedule due to COVID-19, updates will be posted at http://ruralhealth.med.uky.edu.

The East Kentucky Stroke WARRIOR (We advocate for stroke survivors and caregivers in our region) group formed in 2015 to provide advocacy and a positive forum for stroke survivors and their caregivers to ask questions, share challenges, triumphs and other personal experiences. Additionally, the group provides community education to increase awareness about stroke warning signs, symptoms and prevention, and it has been recognized twice in 2020 with awards from the American Stroke Association.  

For questions or more information about the stroke camp or the monthly support group meetings, contact Keisha Hudson at keisha.hudson@uky.edu.

The stroke camp is funded in part by a Wellness Edge (WE) Grant, supported by Grant Number 90PRRC0001-01-00 from the Administration for Community Living (ACL), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Its contents are solely the responsibility of the WE staff and do not necessarily represent the official views of the ACL or HHS.