Stroke Hero Awards

2025 Caregiver Hero:
Lana Wilhelm

Honors an individual who has cared for a stroke survivor and used their experience to educate, inspire and bring awareness about stroke. This award is for a personal caregiver, not a provider acting in a professional capacity.

2025 Equity Hero:
Carolyn Brown

Honors an individual who promotes the goal of equitable health in their work with those at risk for stroke, stroke survivors and stroke caregivers, to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to be as healthy as possible.

2025 F.A.S.T. Hero:
Sheila Beal

Honors an individual who recognized the warning signs of a stroke and acted fast to get help for the person having a stroke. This award is for a friend, family member, coworker or bystander, not a provider acting in a professional capacity. We encourage survivors who recognized their own stroke symptoms to nominate themselves in the Survivor Hero category.

2025 Group Heroes:
Helping Kids with Hemiplegia

Honors a group committed to educating, inspiring and bringing awareness about stroke. This can include stroke support groups, stroke teams, families, private associations, medical facilities and more.

2025 Pediatric Hero:
Makenzie Childs

Honors an individual younger than 18 who has survived a stroke and overcome significant hurdles and whose family has used its experience to educate, inspire and bring awareness to stroke.

2025 Survivor Hero:
Brisa Alfaro

Honors an individual who has survived a stroke and used their experience to educate, inspire and bring awareness about stroke.

2025 Voters’ Choice Hero:
Kathleen O’Leary

Honors an individual or group making an outstanding effort to educate, inspire and bring awareness about stroke on a local or national level. Judges selected the finalists from the nominations received in the other six categories.