About Us

BSSG is a not-for-profit organisation. It is supported by a Hub Administrator, who works part time, and volunteers.

Image of BSSG members smiling around a table

BSSG provides various activities for stroke survivors and their carers to assist them in transitioning from hospital and clinical care to community care, where they can start re-building their lives and wellbeing. 

Our Aims

  • To provide regular meetings for members to have social connectedness with others sharing a common experience.
  • To provide a venue where invited guest speakers and allied health professionals can disseminate up-to-date information, advice, service and resources.
  • To nurture members back to mainstream activities in the community and have a quality of life.
  • To promote stroke prevention and stroke awareness.

Mission Statement

To encourage stroke survivors, their carers and family members to confidently enjoy life after a stroke through mutual emotional support and the common provision of information, communication and education.

Advocacy and Networking

To help achieve our aims and mission statement, our members:

Share their stroke and carer stories with other members of our group and sometimes the wider community through voice and print. 

  • Participate in stroke and carer studies, surveys and conferences conducted by universities and other not-for-profit organisations.
  • Provide consultation to disability committees and other not-for-profit organisations.
  • Assist with the smooth running of our activities.

To see how some of our members have contributed to wider knowledge of the effects of stroke see

Our History

The BSSG was founded by Jenny Cheng (Stroke Survivor) and her husband Peter Cheng (Carer) in 2002.  This organisation is now recognised as one of the most active and innovative community-based stroke support groups in Australia.

Jenny tells us of the events that led to her establishing the BSSG:

“I am a stroke survivor.  I survived a brain haemorrhage on 27 March 1993.

Stroke is a brain attack, like a heart attack, that comes quickly.  Within minutes it transformed me from a healthy working mother and wife to an incoherent, half paralysed individual.  It was terrifying.  It was depressing.  Nothing had prepared me for the trauma.  Stroke is so sudden.

My recovery was difficult, not just for myself but for the whole family.  I needed lots of support, but found that stroke services in the community were uncoordinated and difficult to access. 

As the City of Boroondara had no stroke support groups, I formed the BSSG.  It kept me busy and really helped my recovery, which was slow.  In time I gradually got back to doing some of the activities I used to do. 

The BSSG provided a unique opportunity to speak with other stroke survivors and carers and share our individual experiences.“

To watch BSSG’s founder Jenny Cheng speak on all aspects of stroke, with delightful moments of humour, please click here.

The foundation of BSSG’s logo

In 2003, two BSSG members came up with the BSSG logo which is used on all BSSG stationeries, publications and building signage. 

Percy Hayes, a 92 year old stroke survivor, came up with the concept design and Peter Cheng, the co-founder of BSSG, provided the graphic artwork. 

The logo symbolises the Spirit and Strength shown by Stroke survivors in the way they manage the consequences of their trauma.