According to Illinois Department of Public Health, more than 40,000 Illinoisans treated for stroke are discharged annually from Illinois hospitals. Given the discharge data, it is likely that hundreds of thousands - if not millions - of stroke survivors, their family members, caretakers or other stakeholders currently reside in Illinois . Sadly, this figure is expected to increase dramatically in coming years.

Despite the numbers, stroke survivors and other stroke stakeholders such as family caregivers and health professionals are not generally seen by decision-makers as an independent, organized interest group with a specific set of issues and concerns. Although some stroke survivors and/or other stakeholders are loosely affiliated with hospital-sponsored and administered stroke survivor groups, there is little or no communication or coordination between the various survivor groups throughout the state.

Furthermore, while some local support groups provide social opportunities, few if any focus on education, patient advocacy or public policy issues. They also do not engage in issue advocacy activities related to programs and policies that directly affect stroke stakeholders. (Examples of such policies may be, but are not limited to: increased recognition of stroke warning signs, improving emergency stroke response and treatment, increasing respite care, dollar caps on rehabilitation services, job supports, independent living.)