Jasminah Ali, a sports trainer and physiotherapist, honed her skills in Australia where she studied and worked for many years.  Upon her return to Malaysia in 2001 she joined a pioneer team of doctors, nurses and physiotherapists as a volunteer to serve NASAM Sabah, when it was launched in Kota Kinabalu, in November 2001.  This group became the centre’s first committee and when all others left, she tirelessly contributed to get Sabah’s first NGO for stroke rehab up and running in 2004.

A handful of stroke survivors attended therapy sessions in the early days and there were only two sessions a week, conducted by her and another volunteer physiotherapist.  Today the Sabah club has grown to become one of the more active NASAM clubs with some 50 stroke survivors attending daily sessions during a five-day week.

Chairman since 2007, her valuable expertise in sports training and physiotherapy has enabled the club to further improve its rehab services.  To serve the growing stroke community more efficiently, she and her team are looking for new, bigger premises and are fund raising for this project.