Stroke in New Zealand April 2002

Living In New Zealand With Stroke

By David Ray

April 2002

It is now autumn (or fall) in New Zealand but we are still experiencing warm sunny weather. This just as well because the Stroke Club I belong to, held its annual picnic and outside games afternoon last week. We feel that besides the usual sessions held in the clubrooms we need as a group to have a bit of fun by way of a picnic lunch followed by games such as mini golf and piton. Not only do these games give us a chance to talk to each other they allow us to engage in friendly competition.

Autumn also means that there is an overlap of summer and winter sports. One of the topics discussed with passion at our picnic was the winter sport of rugby football, the national sport in the country. Both men and women play the game. At this time the New Zealand Woman’s Team is the world champion at the game and the men’s national team (known as the All Blacks) is currently rated in the top three. The men’s seven-a-side team is currently world champions.

Cricket is a summer sport that overlaps with rugby in the autumn. The New Zealand Cricket Team is at present playing England in a series of three test matches, which, at the time of writing New Zealand had lost one. These games last up to 5 days but in the one-day series played over the last few weeks, New Zealand won the series 3 games to 2.

What has all this got to do with stroke you might say? Well nothing really but both cricket and rugby give stroke victims a common subject upon which to base our discussions at the meeting of our Stroke Club. Stroke people meet twice a month only and some have difficulty in talking with any fluency. They must have a common subject on which most have knowledge, certainly opinions, on which to converse. We don't want to hear endless conversations about their disabilities - after all we have been there and done that. But most have opinions about the games, players and the way they play the games and these are always topics of conversations between kiwis.

Easter is nearly upon our children and us and our grandchildren will expect that we will lay a few chocolate eggs. I also like Easter eggs and chocolate bunnies but we must not forget the reason for this time of the year and the message of this time of the year. In conclusion may I wish all readers of this newsletter a very happy and joyful Easter with friends and family.

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