Debbie Summers, a Lee&#x92;s Summit resident and registered nurse with Saint Luke&#x92;s Neuroscience Institute, was presented with the 2011 Stroke Council Award by the American Heart Association earlier this month.</p><p>The award is presented to those who integrate stroke and heart-disease care, education and research. Summers is only the third nurse to earn the award. It was presented to her at the heart association&#x92;s Scientific Sessions conference Nov. 14 in Orlando, Fla.</p><p>In 2001, Summers helped organize the first international acute stroke nursing conference. According to a release from the heart association, she continues to fight for patients, often acting as a consultant to other organizations to help jump start stroke programs. She also serves on local and national committees committed to improving care.</p><p>&#xA0;&#x93;Being around stroke patients and witnessing the impact of the stroke is powerful,&#x94; Summers said. &#x93;Realizing there isn&#x92;t much research on how to work with these patients is worse. We needed to help.&#x94;</p><p>Along with Dr, Marilyn Rymer, Summers co-authored &#x93;The Stroke Center Handbook,&#x94; a guide to developing acute stroke programs. She also was the lead author of &#x93;A Comprehensive Overview of Nursing and Interdisciplinary Care of the Acute Ischemic Stroke Patient,&#x94; an acute stroke nursing guide.