Antrim principal urges people to act FAST to conquer stroke

A local family is joining the Stroke Association in calling for people across Northern Ireland to be more aware of the early warning signs of stroke, and to share the FAST message to help save more lives. Alastair Edwards had a stroke in April 2016 and his wife Hazel’s FAST actions helped to save his life. Hazel is the Principal at Ballycraigy Primary School in Antrim. She is supporting the Stroke Association campaign to encourage people to spot the signs of stroke.

The FAST Test identifies the three most common symptoms of a stroke and the right action to take:

FACE: Can the person smile? Has their mouth or eye drooped?

ARM weakness: Can the person raise both arms?

SPEECH problems: Can the person speak clearly and understand what you say?

TIME to call 999

Just an ordinary Sunday evening

Alastair had a haemorrhagic stroke (a bleed on the brain) around midnight on 25 April 2016. He was just 57 at the time and had retired four months before following a 40 year career as a technician at Queens’ University.

Alastair was in good health and had no previous symptoms. His wife Hazel explains:

“I understand now why stroke is called the silent killer. Alastair had been perfectly well. We had enjoyed a lovely weekend at the caravan with our family and were relaxing on the Sunday evening. Around midnight I heard Alastair getting up to get a glass of water. When he came back in, he spilled the water and collapsed into bed. I didn’t think much of it at the time but then I noticed his leg was hanging out of the bed. He had lost all power in his left side and felt very sick”.

Face Arms Speech and Time

“I knew straight away what was happening. I looked at his face, checked his speech and noticed he couldn’t raise his arms or use his left hand side. The FAST campaign kept going through my head and I knew the ‘T’ stood for time to call 999. I was surprisingly calm during all of this and felt quite proud of myself for remembering the FAST test. Alastair kept insisting he would be ok but I knew he needed treatment as quickly as possible. I called 999 and my son Michael and within 1 hour Alastair was admitted to the RVH. I can’t praise the ambulance service or hospital staff enough. They were brilliant”.

Life After Stroke

Alastair spent more than 9 months in hospital and has recently returned home to continue his recovery. Although his progress has been slower than they hoped, Alastair and Hazel are feeling positive about the future.

Hazel says: “At the beginning the progress was slow and frustrating for Alastair but his progress since Christmas has been unbelievable. He still has problems with mobility, gets very tired and has weakness in his left side. Sadly, Alastair has also lost all the technical knowledge he had built up during his career. That part of his brain has been affected and we don’t know if it will return. That’s very difficult but there is always hope. Stroke is a cruel condition – it can take away people’s gifts and abilities. But there are also some positives. We’ve met wonderful and strong families who are also fighting back after stroke and we’re adapting to our new future.

“Our grandson Lucas (2) has been a big part of Alastair’s recovery. At first, we weren’t sure if Alastair could see or move his right arm but when Lucas came into the room, Alastair reached out to him. That was the first time he moved his arm. It was a magical moment and gave us hope. Lucas is a little ray of sunshine and our sons Michael and Craig and wider family have been a great support”.

Be a life saver

“I try not to dwell on the past and I know there’s no point worrying about the ‘what ifs’. I’m glad that I knew the FAST test and Alastair got to hospital as quickly as he did. The outcome could have been so different. I want everyone to know that stroke can strike any one, at any age and that using the FAST test could save a life”.

Support from the Stroke Association

“We’ve had great support from the physiotherapy team, care providers and Janet Thompson – the Stroke Association recovery co-ordinator. Alastair is hoping to get more involved in local support groups and pursue an ambition to learn to paint. His recovery will take time but we’re just so grateful he is here with us”.

Brenda Maguire, Campaigns Manager at Stroke Association said: “Having a stroke is devastating. It can happen to anyone, of any age, at any time. Every second counts when you are having a stroke, so recognising the signs and calling 999 for an ambulance is crucial. A stroke is a medical emergency – as serious as a heart attack, so you need to seek immediate medical help. The quicker a person arrives at a specialist stroke unit, the quicker they will receive appropriate treatment to minimise the impact of their stroke.

“We want more people in Northern Ireland to learn the FAST test and share it with their friends and family to help others to save lives, and improve the chance of a better recovery for those who experience stroke.”

To find out more about the FAST campaign, and to view information and support available, visit www.stroke.org.uk/FAST.

The Stroke Association Newtownabbey group meets every week at Mossley Pavillion and offers peer support, activities and social outings. To find out more contact Janet Thompson by emailing janet.thompson@stroke.org.uk or call 07947273763

Ends

For further information, please contact Brenda Maguire Brenda.maguire@stroke.org.uk or call 02890508051 or 07947273640 or Catherine.Lynn@stroke.org.uk or 028 905080554