At just 18, Lukas McHugh never imagined he could have a stroke. But one morning, he woke up unable to move the left side of his body. “I thought I’d just slept on it Teen’s shock stroke experience brings a new outlook on life
funny—I felt pins and needles. I didn’t know that was a sign of a stroke,” Lukas said. Realising something was seriously wrong, he called an ambulance and was rushed to Royal North Shore Hospital (RNSH), where the stroke team acted immediately. “The patient had classic stroke symptoms—left-sided weakness, facial droop, and limb drift,” said Sheila Jala, stroke clinical nurse consultant. “Thanks to the team’s rapid response, we achieved a door-to-needle time of just 16 minutes and a door-to-groin time of 57 minutes.” Door-to-needle time refers to the crucial window from hospital arrival to receiving clot-busting treatment. Faster treatment leads to better recovery outcomes. Door-to-groin time is the time from a patient’s arrival at the hospital to the start of a procedure involving catheter insertion in the groin. This metric is important because the faster the treatment starts after arrival, the better the chances of a good outcome, especially in time- sensitive conditions like stroke. Now on the road to recovery, Lukas is grateful. “The nurses were lovely, the doctors were informative, and they were always open to speak and answer all my questions. The student nurses from NSLHD were also fantastic—so supportive and attentive,” he said. His experience has changed his perspective on life.
Lukas McHugh (left) with a friend
“You’re not invincible. You have to take care of yourself. I appreciate more now—study, work, everything I can do.”
20 NSLHD 2025 Year in Review
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