A purpose-driven path: How one nurse practitioner champions stroke awareness and recovery

Strokes are one of the leading causes of disability in the U.S., affecting over 795,000 people each year. UT Physicians is proud to honor the health care professionals working on the front lines of stroke prevention and recovery. Among them is Munachi Okpala, DNP, an advanced nurse practitioner with doctoral training and expertise in stroke prevention.

She has seen firsthand the devastating impact strokes have on patients, families, and entire communities. Stroke awareness is deeply personal and profoundly important to her because it leaves far too many with life-altering disabilities that are often preventable.

“What drives me is knowing that with the right awareness, education, and prevention strategies, we can save lives and preserve quality of life,” says Okpala, an assistant professor of neurology at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston. “Every person deserves the chance to thrive after a stroke, not just survive, and awareness is where it all begins.”

Okpala serves as a bridge, connecting patients to evidence-based care, guiding them through recovery, and empowering them with tools to prevent another stroke. She works closely with patients to assess their risk factors, manages chronic conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes, and serves as an educator, advocate, and care coordinator, ensuring patients are never alone in their journey toward healing and prevention.

Okpala says stroke recovery is a marathon, not a sprint. UT Physicians takes a comprehensive, patient-centered approach with a model focused on acute treatment and long-term wellness. It often involves physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech-language therapy, and mental health support.

She adds that stroke prevention starts with small, sustainable lifestyle changes that support brain health. Her team uses such tools as home blood pressure monitors, medication adherence tip sheets, and stroke education materials. The FAST acronym, for instance, is an essential lifesaving tool she teaches patients in recognizing signs of stroke:

F – Face drooping
A – Arm weakness
S – Speech difficulty
T – Time to call 911

“Time is brain. Every second counts during a stroke,” Okpala says. “Recognizing the signs early and acting immediately can mean the difference between a full recovery and a lifetime of disability.”

Okpala and her team create personalized recovery plans, ensuring smooth transitions from hospital to home, and connect patients to resources that support independence. She says healing the mind is just as vital as healing the body, so they also address the emotional side of strokes, such as post-stroke depression and anxiety. Empowering patients with knowledge and resources, she says, puts control back in their hands.

As associate director of the UTHealth Houston Stroke Transitions Education and Prevention (STEP) clinic, Okpala helps to ensure stroke survivors don’t fall through the cracks after leaving the hospital. The clinic offers personalized education, medication counseling, follow-up coordination, and support in navigating social determinants of health, such as food insecurity, assistance with getting prescribed medication, and, in some cases, transportation. The program has improved follow-up rates, medication adherence, and patient satisfaction. It has also been effective in preventing recurrent strokes and supporting recovery.

“Stroke is not just a medical condition; it's a public health issue. It's preventable. It's treatable. And with the right systems in place, it's survivable with dignity,” Okpala says. “But it takes all of us – the whole village of health care providers, community leaders, caregivers, and patients – working together.”