For a world free from stroke
The World Stroke Organization (WSO) is the only global body with a sole focus on stroke. Through our evidence-based advocacy, education and good practice programmes we aim to prevent stroke and to reduce stroke related deaths and disabilities worldwide.Fourteen million people worldwide die from stroke each year and over 50m survivors will live with permanent disability. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), stroke is the second leading cause of death for people above the age of 60 years, and the fifth leading cause in people aged 15 to 59. Stroke is also the principal cause of long-term disability irrespective of age, sex, ethnicity or country and was responsible for 116 million years of life lived with disability in 2016.
While 1 in 4 people globally will experience a stroke in their lifetime, the burden of stroke disproportionately affects individuals in low to middle-income countries where prevalence of risk factors continues to rise, and where there are significant barriers to access to effective prevention and acute treatments.
WSO works with our member organizations and partners to ensure coordinated, targeted and sustained action to address prevention and to improve access to evidence-based treatment and quality clinical care for stroke patients nationally, regionally and globally.
WSO has a membership of over 80 scientific and stroke support organizations around the world. We represent over 50,000 stroke experts and many more patients and caregivers worldwide and work with them to develop and deliver our advocacy, education and good practice programmes.
To help us achieve our vision, the WSO works to:
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The past 25 years have seen the global burden of stroke rise exponentially. To mark World Stroke Day on October 29th the World Stroke Organization is calling for radically new approaches to prevention and risk management.
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