University Medical Center of El Paso is hosting its first-ever Stroke Support Summit this Saturday, a free gathering designed to bring stroke survivors, caregivers, health care professionals and community members together under one roof. Titled Connected in Recovery, the event runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Starlight Event Center, located at 6650 Continental Drive. Organizers describe it as a day of expert education, patient testimonials and recovery resources for families navigating life after a stroke.
The summit is free and open to the community, according to University Medical Center of El Paso, which says the day will mix expert-led educational sessions with inspiring patient testimonials and practical resources for long-term recovery. As reported by KVIA, the event is meant to give survivors and caregivers a chance to connect with health care professionals and with others facing similar challenges. Per organizers, the summit focuses on building a stronger support network while increasing awareness of stroke recovery and the community resources already available in El Paso.
A Keynote Built on Personal Survival
Headlining the summit is a stroke survivor identified by UMC as Maggie Whittam, described as an award-winning theater artist, filmmaker and disability advocate. UMC's event materials say Whittam sustained a brain injury in 2014 after surviving a massive brainstem stroke at age 33, and that her recovery included brain surgery along with extensive inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation, according to KTSM. The dossier notes a spelling conflict: while UMC's own site refers to her as Maggie Whittam, the Brain Injury Association of America lists her as Maggie Whittum, describing her there as a filmmaker, theatre artist, actor, disability advocate and public speaker.
UMC says her keynote address is expected to inspire attendees by putting a human face on the long, often difficult road back from a brainstem stroke. The summit's broader goal, per the hospital, is to pair that kind of personal testimony with information that helps survivors and their families navigate both recovery and long-term support.
Why El Paso's Only Level 1 Stroke Center Matters
UMC describes itself as home to the region's only Level 1 Stroke Center and a Joint Commission-certified Comprehensive Stroke Center, according to its neurosciences department page. The hospital says it has treated more than 700 stroke patients, the station notes. That caseload sits against a national backdrop in which the CDC reports more than 795,000 people in the United States experience a stroke every year, as cited by KTSM.
UMC also points to outside recognition of its stroke program. The hospital says it received the American Heart Association's Get With The Guidelines Gold Plus award, along with Target Stroke Honor Roll Elite Plus and Target Type 2 Diabetes honors in 2025, based on data collected from January 2021 through December 2023, according to UMC Cares. That same release notes that strokes and heart disease remain among the leading causes of death nationwide, with someone suffering a stroke or heart attack roughly every 40 seconds.
Filling a Gap in Long-Term Recovery Support
Stroke recovery often extends well beyond the hospital stay, and national data suggests many survivors don't get structured help once they go home. A CDC report found that in 2013, only about 31 percent of stroke survivors across 20 states and the District of Columbia reported participating in outpatient rehabilitation after their hospitalization. Events like Saturday's summit are aimed squarely at that gap, giving survivors and caregivers a place to find resources and connect with others managing the same long recovery arc.
Beyond Saturday's event, UMC maintains ongoing stroke-support services, including monthly meetings for survivors and caregivers. The UMC Foundation is providing additional information about the summit for anyone looking to learn more before the doors open this weekend at the Starlight Event Center.
