AHA/ASA past president, Ralph L. Sacco, MD, MS, FAHA offers perspective (via Skype) on ISC 20 presentation WP466. He is Chairman, Department of Neurology; Olemberg Family Chair in Neurological Disorders; Miller Professor of Neurology, Public Health Sciences, Human Genetics and Neurosurgery University of Miami, Leonard Miller School of Medicine; Executive Director, Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute; Senior Associate Dean for Clinical and Translational Science; Director, Clinical and Translational Science Institute; Chief of Neurology Service, Jackson Memorial Hospital; President, American Academy of Neurology 2017-19.
copyright American Heart Association 

"It's important for us to maintain optimism among our stroke patients and their caregivers. The first thing we always remind people is that stroke is beatable. There are so many more things that can be done to help prevent a recurrence, and improve recovery. The things that we can do with physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy. These therapeutic interventions do make a difference and improve outcomes after our stroke patients. No longer should we feel that stroke is a sentence where you'll never be able to live a productive and high quality of life. There is many people who recover, and it's important to remain optimistic, and treat depression, and work as a team with your caregivers, your family support, and recognize that stroke can be beatable."