Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Now there's been so much talk about politics this morning,
but you know what, I like catching up with everyday
hard working Territorians and finding out what's going on around
the place. And we actually know that last week was
indeed National Stroke Week. It aims to create awareness about
the signs of stroke so that members of the community
can really help to save the lives of a friend
(00:20):
or a loved one. And joining me in the studio
right now is stroke advocate, well known Territory and and
friend of the show, Richard Crooks. Good morning to you.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
Good morning Wilfe. How I am I I'm.
Speaker 1 (00:32):
Good mate, Thanks so much for joining us on the
show this morning. And last week was National Stroke Week?
What does it mean? You know? Why do you think
a week like that is so important?
Speaker 2 (00:44):
Well as a stroker is getting more and more popular
throughout Australia and the territory. Yep, we just need to
get the message out there a bit more as much
as we can towards everyone and acknowledge, especially to the
younger generation, because it doesn't matter how old you are,
(01:06):
anyone can have a stroke. You know, not long ago
there was a young baby born that had a stroke
and the hospital didn't really recognize it. But the mother
actually did and took a video and showed it to
the hospital and then they asked to bring the baby,
and the baby it was actually straight Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:23):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
So it affects everyone, doesn't matter. You can be the
fittest person or the unfittest person, and you can it
can just hitch out. But the biggest thing is getting
the message out there and knowing what to do and
knowing the signs like you know, you know, face troop,
(01:44):
slurred speech, can't lift your arms or anything like that,
and the first three things to check and then gets
too immediate, you know, hospital care straight away, Crooksy.
Speaker 1 (01:57):
The work you've been doing since you yourself had to
strike to really raise that awareness. It is something that
like a lot of people are sitting up and they're listening,
and I understand recently, well, one of your friends, I
hope you don't mind me raising, actually was in a
situation where some of that advice that you have given
was absolutely pivotal.
Speaker 2 (02:19):
Yeah mate, yeah, yeah, on this occasion. You know, some
friends of mine who actually have a bit to do
with another friend of mine who actually had a stroke
and they're away camping for the weekend down at Kamali
and long term friend of mine and his partner and
they went for a walk around in the bush, looking,
(02:40):
exploring and doing some stuff and his partners stayed back
at the car and they actually I gave him a
couple of well, they bought a couple of my stubbed
callers I have which I got made up thanks to
Garrett moo Gully. You helped me get them done, and
I sell them to raise money for the Stroke Foundation.
And they had one of those callers with him and
(03:02):
they went off in the bush walking around and then
come back and my mate's partner was sitting in the
chair looking at it and she looked, you know, she
wasn't right, and he was talking. There was no response,
and he's asked her and asked her a couple of
times what's going on, and she was just all she
could do is not She was nodding towards my stubboach
(03:24):
caller which she had sitting in the end, and she goes, well,
crooksy and she's nodding, not what You've had a stroke.
So he realized what was going on and got her
in the car and zoomed back to get help. As
soon as possible, and thankfully that he made the decision.
He was back at camp at the right time and
(03:46):
he realized what was going on by her nodding towards
my stubic coller, because if he had been a little
bit later, it could have been a lot worse. But
she's doing okay now. But yeah, it just goes to
show it can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere.
Speaker 1 (03:58):
That's exactly right, really can crooksy tell us what are
the main signs that people need to look out for and.
Speaker 2 (04:05):
What we need to be aware of. Well, first thing
is the drooping lifts of the face in this speech,
you know, and if that's happening, and then can't ask
them lift their arms, they can't lift their arms, Well,
that's time to get help, medical help, a SAP as
quick as you can, because you know those first first,
(04:26):
you know, twenty minutes, half an hour, what it is
to get to medical help is the most critical. Yeah,
you know, that's what we could just be careful because
it can just happen out of the blue.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
It truly can. And I think you'd be hard pressed
to probably find a family in the Northern Territory whose
life hasn't been impacted by stroke in one way or another.
It's more prevalent than people realize exactly.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
Well, it's one in four Austrains will be affected by
a stroke in one way or another. Yeah, And it's
just getting more and more and more. And you know
it's we got to keep getting the message out there.
And you know our great physios and nurses we have
who just had another Code yellow. You know, now we
(05:10):
can get on the political thing if you want to do.
What are they doing? Yeah? And you know I go
back to Adelaide again in September, and because I have
a lot to do with the straight professors and people
in the straight wards in South Australia, and they just
when I go back there, opening a new twenty six
(05:34):
bed with a single rooms, so room for every patient
in the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. Because that's how bad it's getting.
Like my professor looks after seven hundred straight patients. Wow,
that's him himself, you know. So it's getting worse and worse.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
Crookxy from your perspective in the Northern Territory. And you know,
I want to be really positive towards the amazing healthcare professionals,
our doctors, nurses, everybody that works in this space. I've
no doubt they're working their absolute bums off. But I mean,
could there be more support for those that have suffered
strokes in the Northern Territory Yes, well.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
Yeah, yeah, you know it's like I visit regularly. Friends
or people ask me to go and see if their
family members have straight to help them get some information
and help them push on. And our nurses and our
physios are doing the best they can and the ots,
(06:31):
but there's no room for them. Like the last time
I was at the Palmerston rehibe possible there was straight
patiency with other people for rehabilitation. Yeah, but there was
twenty five beds they're all full, and they were making
room to put six extra beds in a confined area.
(06:56):
And plus the public hospital was already full, and you
know there was another five strake patients in the public
hospital waiting. Wow.
Speaker 1 (07:04):
And let's be real about this, like, you know, stroke
patients actually desperate, like you need that support. It is
not a situation where you can just be said time right.
Speaker 2 (07:14):
Well, you know the first three months is most critical
for any straight patient and to have your own room
for privacy and everything else, because it's damn it's the
whole life changing when someone has a straight, trust me,
not just for the person having a stracas for the
family and friends and everyone else. And the last thing
(07:35):
you want to be doing is sharing a room with
someone else. And you need that constant physiotherapy from me,
either someone who is certified or someone who is just
getting in there and giving mate Lindsay Leslie did for
me and my other friends, pushing me every day, you know,
because I needed it, you know, And there are things
(07:56):
you don't know until you actually have a straight, but
the first three three months is a most critical and
we just haven't got the facilities or the staff. And
you know, these political parties are drumming up and promising
the world to everyone, but there's not one word about
stroke in you know what.
Speaker 1 (08:16):
There's been hardly any word about health more generally and
delivering health services in the Northern Territory more generally. And then,
like you touched on before you know, the hospital's in
a code yellow again last week. I don't know that
we've ever experienced so many code yellows is what we
have in recent times. And it's not until you actually
need support at the hospital, or until you go through
(08:39):
a health episode that you realize how important it is
to make sure that we've got all the services that
we need in the Northern Territory.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
Well, spending five months in the hospital here in Darwin's
the biggest eye opener for me, and then spending another
month in the Memorial Hospital in Adelaide. And like I said,
the staff do the best they can, and they really do,
but their hands are tied. We need more professionals and
we need the beds and the rehabilitation centers for these people. Yeah,
(09:11):
you know, and it's not just for straight people. It's
age people and amputees and everything. We just we need
it and we haven't got it.
Speaker 1 (09:17):
Yeah, Crooksy, Before I let you go this morning, mate,
what is your key message really to everybody out there
listening this morning when it comes to stroke awareness and
making sure that they know the science well?
Speaker 2 (09:29):
And so I said, I'm doing my best with my
stubby callers, getting them out there for people to see,
you know, and they can buy them from me. I
wear my shirt and my support people wear their shirts
with me, and I get the message out there. But
you know, I want to get out into the schools
and get the message out to the young kids because
they learn and you know, like I said, everyone's.
Speaker 1 (09:52):
Well and do you know that's the thing, the reality
of it is. You know, even when like when you
look at a lot of little families, very often you know,
mum or dad is spending time on their own with
the children because the other parent might be out, you know,
at work or whatever. And really in a lot of instances,
I would suspect that children do need to know exactly
(10:13):
what those signs are because it could be them who
who are potentially with a parent or a grandparent or
a sibling when something like this happens.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
Yeah, that's exactly right. And like I said, it can
happen anytime, and the kids learn really quick, yep. And
if they know they know everything about everything, well they
think they do, but they pick up when they listen
and they look in their land. So you know, if
we can get the message out to the younger generations,
it's even better. Yeah. So you know that's my one
(10:43):
of my things is to try and get the message
out to the school and raise more awareness. So you know,
good on you. You've got our big stride for stroke
coming up in November. Hopefully you're going to join me. Yeah.
What I have to do is walking with me. Yeah right,
so we can walk. I'm up to it. Taking me
three years now, I can walk a kilometer without having
(11:04):
your break. Awesome, So we may be walking that far.
Maybe we can walk along the ESPLRD.
Speaker 1 (11:09):
Absolutely, I can do that, even.
Speaker 2 (11:11):
Call passing it.
Speaker 1 (11:14):
Good idea, mate, I'd love to do that. Absolutely, we'll
do it when I get off here one day. Hey, yeah,
I'll be up for that. And hey, if anybody's out
there listening this morning, is there's somewhere where they can
purchase your shirts and also your stubby callers.
Speaker 2 (11:25):
Yep, they can give me a buzz or maybe I
can leave something here with you guys.
Speaker 1 (11:30):
Yeah, or you can look and we'll make sure if
people call through, we'll get the details to you so that.
Speaker 2 (11:36):
They can purchase sixty dollars and half that money goes
so thirty dollars that goes to the Strake Foundation and
the stubmoy callers are ten dollars, and five dollars from
every caller goes to the Strake Foundation.
Speaker 1 (11:49):
You're a bloody legend.
Speaker 2 (11:50):
We've got to keep getting the message out there. Maybe
that's what we have to do.
Speaker 1 (11:53):
Absolutely, Crooksy, thanks so much for coming in this morning.
I really appreciate it. Thank you,
Now there's been so much talk about politics this morning,
but you know what, I like catching up with everyday
hard working Territorians and finding out what's going on around
the place. And we actually know that last week was
indeed National Stroke Week. It aims to create awareness about
the signs of stroke so that members of the community
can really help to save the lives of a friend
(00:20):
or a loved one. And joining me in the studio
right now is stroke advocate, well known Territory and and
friend of the show, Richard Crooks. Good morning to you.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
Good morning Wilfe. How I am I I'm.
Speaker 1 (00:32):
Good mate, Thanks so much for joining us on the
show this morning. And last week was National Stroke Week?
What does it mean? You know? Why do you think
a week like that is so important?
Speaker 2 (00:44):
Well as a stroker is getting more and more popular
throughout Australia and the territory. Yep, we just need to
get the message out there a bit more as much
as we can towards everyone and acknowledge, especially to the
younger generation, because it doesn't matter how old you are,
(01:06):
anyone can have a stroke. You know, not long ago
there was a young baby born that had a stroke
and the hospital didn't really recognize it. But the mother
actually did and took a video and showed it to
the hospital and then they asked to bring the baby,
and the baby it was actually straight Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:23):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
So it affects everyone, doesn't matter. You can be the
fittest person or the unfittest person, and you can it
can just hitch out. But the biggest thing is getting
the message out there and knowing what to do and
knowing the signs like you know, you know, face troop,
(01:44):
slurred speech, can't lift your arms or anything like that,
and the first three things to check and then gets
too immediate, you know, hospital care straight away, Crooksy.
Speaker 1 (01:57):
The work you've been doing since you yourself had to
strike to really raise that awareness. It is something that
like a lot of people are sitting up and they're listening,
and I understand recently, well, one of your friends, I
hope you don't mind me raising, actually was in a
situation where some of that advice that you have given
was absolutely pivotal.
Speaker 2 (02:19):
Yeah mate, yeah, yeah, on this occasion. You know, some
friends of mine who actually have a bit to do
with another friend of mine who actually had a stroke
and they're away camping for the weekend down at Kamali
and long term friend of mine and his partner and
they went for a walk around in the bush, looking,
(02:40):
exploring and doing some stuff and his partners stayed back
at the car and they actually I gave him a
couple of well, they bought a couple of my stubbed
callers I have which I got made up thanks to
Garrett moo Gully. You helped me get them done, and
I sell them to raise money for the Stroke Foundation.
And they had one of those callers with him and
(03:02):
they went off in the bush walking around and then
come back and my mate's partner was sitting in the
chair looking at it and she looked, you know, she
wasn't right, and he was talking. There was no response,
and he's asked her and asked her a couple of
times what's going on, and she was just all she
could do is not She was nodding towards my stubboach
(03:24):
caller which she had sitting in the end, and she goes, well,
crooksy and she's nodding, not what You've had a stroke.
So he realized what was going on and got her
in the car and zoomed back to get help. As
soon as possible, and thankfully that he made the decision.
He was back at camp at the right time and
(03:46):
he realized what was going on by her nodding towards
my stubic coller, because if he had been a little
bit later, it could have been a lot worse. But
she's doing okay now. But yeah, it just goes to
show it can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere.
Speaker 1 (03:58):
That's exactly right, really can crooksy tell us what are
the main signs that people need to look out for and.
Speaker 2 (04:05):
What we need to be aware of. Well, first thing
is the drooping lifts of the face in this speech,
you know, and if that's happening, and then can't ask
them lift their arms, they can't lift their arms, Well,
that's time to get help, medical help, a SAP as
quick as you can, because you know those first first,
(04:26):
you know, twenty minutes, half an hour, what it is
to get to medical help is the most critical. Yeah,
you know, that's what we could just be careful because
it can just happen out of the blue.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
It truly can. And I think you'd be hard pressed
to probably find a family in the Northern Territory whose
life hasn't been impacted by stroke in one way or another.
It's more prevalent than people realize exactly.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
Well, it's one in four Austrains will be affected by
a stroke in one way or another. Yeah, And it's
just getting more and more and more. And you know
it's we got to keep getting the message out there.
And you know our great physios and nurses we have
who just had another Code yellow. You know, now we
(05:10):
can get on the political thing if you want to do.
What are they doing? Yeah? And you know I go
back to Adelaide again in September, and because I have
a lot to do with the straight professors and people
in the straight wards in South Australia, and they just
when I go back there, opening a new twenty six
(05:34):
bed with a single rooms, so room for every patient
in the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. Because that's how bad it's getting.
Like my professor looks after seven hundred straight patients. Wow,
that's him himself, you know. So it's getting worse and worse.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
Crookxy from your perspective in the Northern Territory. And you know,
I want to be really positive towards the amazing healthcare professionals,
our doctors, nurses, everybody that works in this space. I've
no doubt they're working their absolute bums off. But I mean,
could there be more support for those that have suffered
strokes in the Northern Territory Yes, well.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
Yeah, yeah, you know it's like I visit regularly. Friends
or people ask me to go and see if their
family members have straight to help them get some information
and help them push on. And our nurses and our
physios are doing the best they can and the ots,
(06:31):
but there's no room for them. Like the last time
I was at the Palmerston rehibe possible there was straight
patiency with other people for rehabilitation. Yeah, but there was
twenty five beds they're all full, and they were making
room to put six extra beds in a confined area.
(06:56):
And plus the public hospital was already full, and you
know there was another five strake patients in the public
hospital waiting. Wow.
Speaker 1 (07:04):
And let's be real about this, like, you know, stroke
patients actually desperate, like you need that support. It is
not a situation where you can just be said time right.
Speaker 2 (07:14):
Well, you know the first three months is most critical
for any straight patient and to have your own room
for privacy and everything else, because it's damn it's the
whole life changing when someone has a straight, trust me,
not just for the person having a stracas for the
family and friends and everyone else. And the last thing
(07:35):
you want to be doing is sharing a room with
someone else. And you need that constant physiotherapy from me,
either someone who is certified or someone who is just
getting in there and giving mate Lindsay Leslie did for
me and my other friends, pushing me every day, you know,
because I needed it, you know, And there are things
(07:56):
you don't know until you actually have a straight, but
the first three three months is a most critical and
we just haven't got the facilities or the staff. And
you know, these political parties are drumming up and promising
the world to everyone, but there's not one word about
stroke in you know what.
Speaker 1 (08:16):
There's been hardly any word about health more generally and
delivering health services in the Northern Territory more generally. And then,
like you touched on before you know, the hospital's in
a code yellow again last week. I don't know that
we've ever experienced so many code yellows is what we
have in recent times. And it's not until you actually
need support at the hospital, or until you go through
(08:39):
a health episode that you realize how important it is
to make sure that we've got all the services that
we need in the Northern Territory.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
Well, spending five months in the hospital here in Darwin's
the biggest eye opener for me, and then spending another
month in the Memorial Hospital in Adelaide. And like I said,
the staff do the best they can, and they really do,
but their hands are tied. We need more professionals and
we need the beds and the rehabilitation centers for these people. Yeah,
(09:11):
you know, and it's not just for straight people. It's
age people and amputees and everything. We just we need
it and we haven't got it.
Speaker 1 (09:17):
Yeah, Crooksy, Before I let you go this morning, mate,
what is your key message really to everybody out there
listening this morning when it comes to stroke awareness and
making sure that they know the science well?
Speaker 2 (09:29):
And so I said, I'm doing my best with my
stubby callers, getting them out there for people to see,
you know, and they can buy them from me. I
wear my shirt and my support people wear their shirts
with me, and I get the message out there. But
you know, I want to get out into the schools
and get the message out to the young kids because
they learn and you know, like I said, everyone's.
Speaker 1 (09:52):
Well and do you know that's the thing, the reality
of it is. You know, even when like when you
look at a lot of little families, very often you know,
mum or dad is spending time on their own with
the children because the other parent might be out, you know,
at work or whatever. And really in a lot of instances,
I would suspect that children do need to know exactly
(10:13):
what those signs are because it could be them who
who are potentially with a parent or a grandparent or
a sibling when something like this happens.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
Yeah, that's exactly right. And like I said, it can
happen anytime, and the kids learn really quick, yep. And
if they know they know everything about everything, well they
think they do, but they pick up when they listen
and they look in their land. So you know, if
we can get the message out to the younger generations,
it's even better. Yeah. So you know that's my one
(10:43):
of my things is to try and get the message
out to the school and raise more awareness. So you know,
good on you. You've got our big stride for stroke
coming up in November. Hopefully you're going to join me. Yeah.
What I have to do is walking with me. Yeah right,
so we can walk. I'm up to it. Taking me
three years now, I can walk a kilometer without having
(11:04):
your break. Awesome, So we may be walking that far.
Maybe we can walk along the ESPLRD.
Speaker 1 (11:09):
Absolutely, I can do that, even.
Speaker 2 (11:11):
Call passing it.
Speaker 1 (11:14):
Good idea, mate, I'd love to do that. Absolutely, we'll
do it when I get off here one day. Hey, yeah,
I'll be up for that. And hey, if anybody's out
there listening this morning, is there's somewhere where they can
purchase your shirts and also your stubby callers.
Speaker 2 (11:25):
Yep, they can give me a buzz or maybe I
can leave something here with you guys.
Speaker 1 (11:30):
Yeah, or you can look and we'll make sure if
people call through, we'll get the details to you so that.
Speaker 2 (11:36):
They can purchase sixty dollars and half that money goes
so thirty dollars that goes to the Strake Foundation and
the stubmoy callers are ten dollars, and five dollars from
every caller goes to the Strake Foundation.
Speaker 1 (11:49):
You're a bloody legend.
Speaker 2 (11:50):
We've got to keep getting the message out there. Maybe
that's what we have to do.
Speaker 1 (11:53):
Absolutely, Crooksy, thanks so much for coming in this morning.
I really appreciate it. Thank you,
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