Stroke rates in New Zealand are four times those of other developed countries, says Professor Valery Feigin, Director of the National Research Centre for Stroke, Applied Neurosciences and Neurorehabilitation at AUT University. “Every hour someone in New Zealand is struck by a new stroke,” he says. Top New Zealand researchers are meeting at a summit (AUT University, 9 Nov 2009) to present three of the most comprehensive studies into stroke prevention and rehabilitation and refine strategies to address the country’s stroke rates and ethnic disparities. Professor Feigin, who will present new research findings, says evidence shows at least 85% of strokes can be avoided: “If we implement primary prevention strategies we can save as much as $150 million a year.” Currently each stroke patient costs New Zealand well over the current estimate of $25,000 – which, in many cases, fails to include ongoing care. Of equal concern is the alarming growth in Maori and Pacific Island stroke rates of 20% and 66%, respectively, which puts these groups on a par with developing countries. And our failure to adequately support stroke patients means, "The rate of stroke re-occurrence has not changed over the last 20 years,” says Professor Feigin.