ESO Spirit of Excellence awards

Prof. Arsovska is head of the department for emergency neurology at the University Clinic of Neurology and professor at University “Ss Cyril and Methodius” Faculty of Medicine in Skopje. She has been working on implementing the Atroke Action Plan in her country, promoting stroke prevention and raising stroke awareness. 

Prof. Bereczki, a past president of the Hungarian Stroke Society, is head of the Neurology Clinic in Semmelweis University in Budapest, as well as national RES-Q coordinator. His legacy includes leading the development of a stroke network in central Hungary involving more than 10 stroke centers and the national ambulance services. 

Assist. Prof. Budinčević, a specialist in intensive care and cerebrovascular diseases, is deputy head of neurology and head of the stroke and intensive care unit at Sveti Duh University Hospital in Zagreb. A recognised leader in stroke development, especially in the field of quality monitoring, he shares his expertise throughout the country.

Dr Rovera is an 118 EMS doctor at the Ospedale Maggiore della Carita, in Novara, Italy. In 2022, he was appointed as ASLS instructor, a role he embraced with passion, becoming the coordinator of the first national ASLS team. He has created an online stroke course for volunteers which lead to 1000+ people being trained in only 3 months.

Prof. Bar is his country’s leading strokologist and a key member of the Cerebrovascular section and the Angels Steering Committee. As a direct result of his work, 33 Czech stroke centers received ESO stroke unit certification in 2022. He has co-created the FAST PLUS scale for predicting LVOs and promoted its nation-wide implementation.

Dr López’s commitment to improving outcomes for stroke patients goes beyond his hospital, the Doctor Balmis General University Hospital in Alicante. His tireless work impacting the entire Valencian Community includes development of the CODICT App, which promotes the importance of quality monitoring among the region’s hospitals. 

Dr Krasteva of UMHAT Medika - Russe is a member of the working group for the development of the National Stroke Action Plan 2030, a member of the Bulgarian lytics advisory board, and a member of the executive board of the Bulgarian Medical Association - Ruse branch. She is an avid and warm advocate of the Angels Initiative in Bulgaria.

Dr Nica is en emergency physician and chief of the emergency room at the University Emergency Hospital Bucharest, one of Romania’s biggest and most crowded hospitals. An important Angels collaborator, she has been involved in the majority of prehospital trainings in Bucharest, and passionately shares her knowledge as an ASLS trainer.

Prof. Poljaković is head of the department of intensive care and cerebrovascular diseases at University Hospital Zagreb, and president of the Croatian Neurological Society. She founded and leads the Reference Center for Intensive Neurology and Endovascular Treatment of Brain Stroke and Vascular Malformations of the Ministry of Health.