Bulgaria Establishes a National Stroke Awareness Day

Five years after Dorina Dobreva set out to create Bulgaria’s first national patient organisation for stroke survivors, her vision has become reality.

On November 11, 2025,  Bulgaria marked a National Stroke Awareness Day for the first time, established at the initiative of ASA-Bulgaria, a milestone toward a unified national policy for prevention, treatment, and life after stroke. The founder and Chair of the Association for Stroke and Aphasia (ASA-Bulgaria), also National Coordinator for the Stroke Action Plan for Europe, Board member of the Stroke Alliance for Europe (SAFE), and member of the Campaigns Committee of the World Stroke Organization (WSO), now leads the effort that places Bulgaria firmly on Europe’s stroke map.

Each year, over 50,000 Bulgarians suffer a stroke — among the highest rates in Europe. About 10% die during the acute treatment phase, and another 22% within the first year. More than half of survivors live with long-term disability, underscoring the urgent need for coordinated national action. The initiative has received strong international recognition and endorsement from the world’s most influential stroke and aphasia organizations, acknowledging Bulgaria’s leadership in patient advocacy and systemic change.

Read more about it here.