(December 9, 2024 | Urbana, Illinois) – The stroke support group at OSF HealthCare Heart of Mary Medical Center in Urbana – Champaign County’s only hospital-based stroke support group – is preparing a robust set of programs to serve stroke survivors and their caregivers in 2025.
The support group meets at OSF Heart of Mary (1400 W. Park St., Urbana) from 3-4:30 p.m. on the first Wednesday of the month. Participants can also ask for a virtual option. At the meetings, experts provide a safe space for people impacted by a stroke to talk about their experience, plus educational talks on spotting stroke symptoms and debunking stroke myths. Attendees are also connected with books, movies, websites, local social service agencies and other resources. Topics in 2025 include:
- January 8: Chair exercises with OSF physical therapy
- February 5: Valentine’s Day crafts
- March 5: Games to keep your mind sharp
- April 2: How to find mood-boosting music
- May 7: All about stroke awareness month
- June 4: Speech and hearing tips
- July 2: Tips to eat healthy with an OSF dietitian
- August 6: Navigating health insurance
- September 3: Fall crafts
- October 1: How to talk about a stroke
- November 5: Your faith and your health with OSF pastoral care
- December 3: Holiday party
“There are millions of stroke survivors across the United States, and they are stronger together,” said Leslie Ingold, OSF HealthCare regional stroke coordinator. “We want to remind Champaign County residents who have been impacted by a stroke that they are not alone, and this support group is available. In fact, it’s important to educate yourself about stroke signs and treatment because strokes, while mostly preventable, can have life-altering consequences.”
For more information on the stroke support group, call (217) 337-2409.
The two OSF HealthCare hospitals in East Central Illinois – OSF Heart of Mary in Urbana and OSF Sacred Heart in Danville – are Primary Stroke Centers as determined by The Joint Commission, a national health care accreditation group. This means patients can be sure they are getting the highest quality stroke care.
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OSF HealthCare is an integrated health system founded by The Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis. Headquartered in Peoria, Illinois, OSF HealthCare has 16 hospitals – 10 acute care, five critical access, 1 transitional care – with 2,131 licensed beds throughout Illinois and Michigan. OSF employs nearly 24,000 Mission Partners across 150+ locations; has two colleges of nursing; operates OSF Home Care Services, an extensive network of home health and hospice services; owns Pointcore, Inc., comprised of health care-related businesses; OSF HealthCare Foundation, the philanthropic arm for the organization; and OSF Ventures, which provides investment capital for promising health care innovation startups. In 2020, OSF OnCall was established, a digital health operating unit, including a hospital-at-home. OSF OnCall delivers care and services when, where and how patients prefer to receive them. OSF HealthCare has been recognized by Fortune as one of the most innovative companies in the country. More at osfhealthcare.org.