Every day, teams across RBWH give patients a second chance at life thanks to their expertise and quick thinking. The Neurology and Stoke team at RBWH did just that recently, when they treated 78-year-old Hervey Bay resident June.

June had woken up on her farm in Hervey Bay one morning, unable to move the left side of her body. She called the ambulance and was taken to Hervey Bay Hospital, where it was confirmed she had had a stroke and would need to be transported via helicopter to RBWH.

RBWH Interventional Neuroradiologist Dr Greg Lock performed a procedure to remove the clot causing the stroke from a blood vessel in June’s brain. This is called endovascular thrombectomy or clot retrieval and is only available at four hospitals in Queensland.

“The procedure restored blood and oxygen supply to June’s brain, and most of the brain tissue that was heading towards becoming permanently affected by stroke was saved,” said Dr Lock.

“Within a few hours her condition dramatically improved. Within a few days of the procedure, June was walking, speaking clearly and doing her best to help us look after her on the stroke ward.”

RBWH Director Neurology and Stoke Associate Professor Andrew Wong said the procedure performed on June was very time-critical and required a chain of actions to be performed swiftly and precisely to ensure that there are no delays to treatment.

“This outcome could only have come about thanks to rapid responses from Queensland Ambulance Service, Hervey Bay Hospital staff, Retrieval Services Queensland, and various teams at RBWH including the Emergency and Trauma Centre, the Department of Medical Imaging, Anaesthetics, the Intensive Care Unit and of course the Stroke Team,” Associate Professor Wong said.

“Each team worked in partnership to deliver the care that June needed to avoid a life of disability from stroke, or worse.”

Now, June is looking forward to returning to her farm and her animals in Hervey Bay after she completes her rehabilitation.

“My little Jack Russell named Polly will be very excited to see me,” June said.

“I’ve been very lucky to receive the care I have at RBWH.”