Thato Minyuku – Stroke survivor & legal consultant

I was introduced to The Stroke Survivor Foundation (SSF) by Kele Motshwane, a member of the SSF Management Team and also introduced to the founder of the SSF, George Scola by my Speech Therapist, Ingrid von Bentheim. As a stroke survivor, I was very keen and passionate to get involved in stroke for the means of education and stroke awareness to prevent national and global citizens from preventing themselves from stroke, and on a personal level, to embrace life after stroke.

I started volunteering with SSF in early 2018 and became part of the management team. This in itself was indeed a method of free speech therapy and occupational therapy, by engaging in the regular management meetings and taking part in the operational work necessary to fulfil the purpose and vision of SSF. My brain had to work and exercise fully and consistently for me to be an active and meaningful part of SSF. One of my challenges from the stroke is aphasia, so it took some months for my brain to comprehend and fully understand in the management meeting. With persistence and diving to SSF, I was able to become a valuable part of the team.

What I enjoy the most of my work for SSF is the educational talks and presenting with the Stroke Awareness Campaigns. This has personally aided my emotional sense of self, with confidence, compassion, kindness and creativity, both internally and externally. I wish to send this in three ways: to society and citizens without a stroke for preventative means; to stroke survivors; and to the close community supporting stroke survivors, that is family, caregivers and access to rehabilitation ecosystem.

SSF has given me the opportunity to be a meaningful stroke survivor. I give, I volunteer and I work to my best ability.

Thato joined the management team in early 2018 and uses her previous careers in corporate law, finance and business to assist in the following:

• Representative of the Stroke Survivors Foundation in the national Disability Sector and Disability Task Team
• Representative of the Stroke Survivors Foundation in the SADA membership within numerous Working Groups
• Representative of the Stroke Survivors Foundation in the ASO (African Stroke Organisation) within numerous Working Groups
• Presentations in the Stroke Awareness Campaign, educational talks and motivational talks
• Increased access to media, such as FM radios, SABC TV and independent TV, and online articles to spread the Stroke Awareness Campaign

Thato voluntary works with the Stroke Survivors Foundation, making it her personal vocation to emotionally and educationally empower stroke survivors, and further empower as many as she can to prevent them from having a stroke.