At the age of 55, Nuno Markl has decided to add a new date to his list of important World Days. After suffering two strokes and spending many months in intensive recovery, which kept him “off the air” for longer than he would have liked, the comedian is determined, from now on, to mark World Stroke Day as a way of remembering his own story and urging everyone who still believes that “it only happens to other people” to think again. In a message written to accompany Hospital da Luz’s World Stroke Day campaign, one of Portugal’s best-known radio personalities recalls that stroke remains the leading cause of death in Portugal and speaks openly and candidly about everything he has experienced: “Learning to walk and pick things up again at 55 isn’t as much fun as it sounds!” Nuno Markl, who will continue to rely on the support of the teams at Hospital do Mar, remains committed to an intensive rehabilitation programme, but has already returned to work. He recently made his debut as a film director and continues his career as a radio host and comedian, but now, as he himself says, without forgetting to “eat a balanced diet, have regular check-ups, monitor blood pressure and see a doctor.” As for the rest? Just follow Nuno Markl’s advice. Hospital da Luz fully agrees with every word. “How many times over the years did I hear on the news, ‘Today is World Stroke Day’? I have no idea. I do know that it was the kind of awareness day that simply flew over my head. Just like, I don’t know, International Left-Handers Day. Or World Competitive Curling Day. We tend to be very selective about which World Days we care about, don’t we? On World Radio Day, for example, I always post something celebrating the profession I love. This is the first World Stroke Day that hasn’t flown over my head because, less than a year ago, a stroke flew INTO my head. The upside? I now have one more World Day to celebrate. The downsides? Quite a few. Learning to walk and pick things up again at 55 isn’t as much fun as it sounds! Fortunately, the Hospital do Mar team, together with my determination, is gradually bringing my once 100%-switched-off left side back to life. Do what I didn’t do: prevention is essential . Eat a balanced diet, get regular check-ups, monitor your blood pressure, see a doctor, put down your phone, after watching this, of course, and go for a walk. And sleep. Less social media, more hours of sleep. Read. Take deep breaths. Hate a little less. Stroke is the leading cause of death in Portugal. I was lucky enough to survive, and that’s almost like winning the lottery. Deep down, we always think it only happens to other people. The problem is that we, too, are someone else’s ‘other people’. It can happen to any of us.” According to the Portuguese Stroke Society, stroke is the leading cause of death and permanent disability among adults in Portugal. Every year, around 25,000 new strokes occur in the country, an average of approximately 70 cases per day. The latest data from Statistics Portugal (INE) show that cerebrovascular diseases were responsible for around 9,100 deaths in 2023. This year alone, Portugal’s National Institute of Medical Emergency (INEM) has recorded an average of 26 suspected stroke cases per day through the national Stroke Fast-Track system. Around half of all stroke survivors are left with some form of permanent disability. If you notice facial drooping, difficulty speaking or articulating words, or sudden weakness in an arm or leg, seek help immediately. Stroke can be fatal. Every minute counts.
