Join the SAO Community
Stroke & Caregiver Support Groups
Check out all support groups and events on our calendar!
“Stroke creates many physical and emotional challenges. Each stroke warrior faces a unique set of disabilities and losses, and each copes with them in his or her own way. The warmth, acceptance and emotional support that a stroke support group offers can often be the key to uncovering the hidden strengths in many survivors” (American Stroke Association).
Here at SAO, it is our mission to support our fellow stroke warriors at every stage of their recovery journey. We have found that support groups play a vital role in not only aiding in the emotional and physical barriers, but also creating a sense of community and accountability among our SAO family.
We are fortunate enough to have ongoing support groups for warriors, caregivers, and family to assist in their recovery. Our team of dedicated support group leaders are available monthly and/or bimonthly for virtual or in-person meetings.
This “low-key” group was created as a safe space for men to share and connect about issues they may be facing. Enjoy getting to know others who are in a similar situation while building a supportive network.
Virtual meetings are held on the 1st Wednesday of the month at 3:00 PM Pacific Time. Please use the link below to join the Stroke Warrior Support Group at the appropriate meeting times.
Do you provide care or are you a family member to anyone suffering from a stroke or brain injury? Join others who understand the support you give and the many challenges you face. The Caregiver Support Group is a safe space to connect, share, learn, and cope together. Here, you can get the education, emotional reinforcement, and sense of community you need to provide the best possible care for stroke survivors without compromising your own well-being.
This meeting is held via Zoom on the second Thursday of the month at 11:00 AM Pacific Time.
Wherever you are in your post stroke journey, we welcome you to our Stroke Warrior Support Group. Your best possible recovery is of the utmost importance to the SAO team. Meetings include open topics and discussions led by trained facilitators as well as healthy, positive, stroke survivors.
Virtual meetings are held on the 2nd & 4th Tuesday of the month at 3:00 PM Pacific Time via Zoom. Please use the link below to join the Stroke Warrior Support Group at the appropriate meeting times.
Sometimes, a shared smile and a face-to-face conversation can make all the difference. Join fellow stroke survivors at the SAO office for a welcoming gathering centered on connection, encouragement, and friendship. Wherever you are in your recovery journey, this group offers a place to share experiences, celebrate progress, and discover strengths you may not have recognized in yourself. Together, we build friendships that extend beyond our monthly meetings.
When: Third Wednesday of each month at 2:00 PM Pacific Time
Where: Stroke Awareness Oregon Office
695 SW Mill View Way
Bend, OR 97702
This group meets in person only.
This group is for Women of all ages that have experienced stroke and want to speak and learn about women specific issues related to stroke. Led by Laurel Jeffrey, MA, LMFT-Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist.
This meeting is held via Zoom on the third Thursday of the month at 1:00 PM Pacific Time.
Living with a stroke can feel isolating at any age, with each age group having their own unique challenges. If your stroke occurred at age 50 or younger, SAO offers a safe space to share and learn ways to inspire growth and recovery with others on a similar journey.
Virtual meetings are held on the 3rd Monday of the month at 6:00 PM Pacific Time via Zoom. Please use the link below to join the Stroke Warrior Support Group at the appropriate meeting times.
Stroke Awareness Oregon’s support groups offer a welcoming space for stroke survivors and caregivers to connect and share. With both virtual and in-person options, these sessions help navigate challenges and build resilience. Led by peers and facilitators, they foster strength and forward momentum for all involved. Reach out to join us!
Don’t miss a meeting! Sign up for our support group email!
We’re here for YOUR benefit! Sign up for our mailing list to receive SAO emails that are catered to your needs, whether that be support group reminders, newsletters, educational content, in-person events, or all of the above.
by Jake Sheaffer
“I once threw a canister of my supplement powder at the wall and dented it. That’s something I can’t imagine ever doing before my stroke, but it’s just another part of my recovery to work on.”
______________________________
On an early October weekend in 2019, Alesha Goodman and her longtime boyfriend Drew hiked over 50 miles of rugged desert landscape in the Ochoco National Forest in Central Oregon. They were on a nine-day hunting trip they’d been planning for months. While Drew streaked up the steep slopes of sagebrush and loose rock, Alesha tarried behind breathing heavily, fighting the searing pain radiating from the base of her skull. An active thirty-four-year-old who frequented local gyms, walked her dog daily, and hiked on weekends, Alesha never suspected the severe neck pain and nausea she’d had for the past week and a half were signs of an impending stroke. And not just one stroke, but two. Two potentially fatal strokes that would occur within an hour of each other the day after she returned from the Ochocos.
An only child, Alesha was close to her parents and her grandmother who lived on her parents’ property later in life. As a kid, she delivered newspapers in her Bend, OR neighborhood, and in her spare time, she wrote children’s books for fun and read voraciously, prompting close friends to refer to her as a “living encyclopedia of odd information.”
On the Monday morning after she got home, Alesha sat in traffic at a parkway off -ramp, still in discomfort from the neck pain and the nausea. She had new symptoms, too, dizziness and feeling faint. Regardless of the pain, she readied herself for work, but she had an uneasy feeling about her job.
Over the weekend, Alesha had received multiple text messages from her employer, a jewelry company in Central Oregon, about an issue with her company email and password, but with no cell reception, she couldn’t respond to her manager’s concerns. After searching through Alesha’s desk for her email password and not finding it, but instead finding an important legal document she’d already dealt with but had not yet disclosed to her boss, the company hired a specialist to get around the digital safeguards. That day, Alesha was let go from her position.
Purchase the Book to Learn More About Alesha’s Journey!