Cerebra's Operations Manager on the launch of the Neuro Damu charitable foundation to combat stroke

The goal of Neuro Damu is to raise public awareness about stroke. We spoke with the foundation’s head to learn more about the project’s activities and objectives.

Beksultan Shakim, Operations Manager at Cerebra, Head of the Neuro Damu Stroke Foundation, @neuro.damu

About Cerebra

The Cerebra startup was founded in 2020. Prior to that, it operated under the Almaty Artificial Intelligence Laboratory. At that time, our team worked on three projects: diabetic retinopathy, pulmonology, and stroke. Over time, we decided to focus on just one area. We chose the latter.

Cerebra is a MedTech startup focused on stroke diagnosis using artificial intelligence and machine learning. After a patient undergoes a brain CT scan, the images are sent to our system. Within one to two minutes, the program identifies the affected area. This is crucial because it enables treatment to begin as early as possible.

Our system is installed in 25 hospitals across Kazakhstan. We also collaborate with international organizations from Southeast Asia, Turkey, the CIS, and Europe.

Cerebra has received awards from Astana Hub. It was included in the top 10 best MedTech projects by Medtronic. We were finalists in the international Emerge startup competition. We secured funding from Quest Ventures and Timur Turlov.

About Neuro Damu

At Cerebra, we diagnose stroke using advanced technology and modern equipment. However, this does not comprehensively address the issue nationwide. If you ask a random passerby how to identify a stroke, they will most likely answer incorrectly.

Often, people ignore the symptoms. They may disregard the illness or attempt self-treatment. Hospital visits usually occur only after several days, when it becomes clear that the pain persists. By that point, it is often too late. The longer the delay, the higher the likelihood that the patient will not survive or will be left disabled.

Millions of people become victims of stroke every year. This is a global problem that needs to be addressed. It is important for people to know the symptoms and be able to transport patients to specialists promptly. The earlier treatment begins, the greater the chance that the patient will recover without severe consequences.

The Neuro Damu Foundation was established to educate the public about stroke, explain diagnostic methods, and provide informational support. This is our primary mission.

I serve as the Head of the Foundation. My responsibilities include strategic development and planning the Foundation’s activities. Additionally, we are always seeking potential partners for collaboration and interesting projects.

We are also implementing a project in operational telemedicine. Its goal is to connect neurosurgeons of varying expertise levels.

There are situations where brain or vascular surgery is required immediately, and there is no time to wait for a specialist of the appropriate level to arrive. This project enables video connections between neurosurgeons from different parts of the world, allowing a mentor to monitor the surgery in real time.

This is currently implemented in Aktau and Taldykorgan. In the future, we plan to expand coverage to as many regions as possible.

We are developing online courses to enhance the qualifications of neurology services.

The goal is to improve the skills of young specialists in interpreting CT scans, working with patients, and gaining new knowledge from leading neurosurgeons, radiologists, and neurologists.

Our plans include implementing VR technology to help novice surgeons learn proper surgical techniques.

How to contact the Neuro Damu Foundation

Our team consists of professionals, medical experts, and consultants.

We do not provide targeted assistance to specific individuals. Instead, we offer comprehensive support by disseminating essential information.

The Foundation has a website and social media pages. Contact details and email addresses are available on the Instagram account. If someone needs help, they can reach out to us, and we will respond promptly to provide guidance.