Because of the capabilities of Associate Professor Chris Levi and the Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI) Stroke Research Group which he formed, clot busting treatment has been available to stroke patients at John Hunter Hospital since 2000, three years before it became widely used in routine health care. 

The group has gone even further to address the critical time factor that has prevented stroke patients in rural communities receiving this life-altering treatment.

“Family members are often watching and hoping that the clot breaks up and the blood flow returns. They are on a vigil for the first few days, as we are. You want to give them a good result, as well as the patient,” Chris explains.

“I’m still excited by seeing the treatment that we give make people better. It’s a bit of a dream come true that we can do that. My career spans two eras – an era when there was nothing we could do – and today, when there are treatment options for many stroke sufferers.”

You can see an interview with Chris and hear a stroke survivor’s story in the video below.

Chris was featured in the June-July edition of Hunter Lifestyle Magazine.