Press release -
Darren urges people in the South West to act FAST
02 February 2015
South West stroke survivor urges people to act FAST
The Stroke Association today launches a new initiative to help more people affected by stroke receive emergency medical treatment. The charity is calling for people across the South West to support the FAST Forward campaign by learning the signs of a stroke and sharing the message to help save more lives.
The FAST Test identifies the three most common symptoms of a stroke or mini-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
Darren Hall, 44, from Plymouth had a stroke in May 2011 and believes the FAST Test could have saved his life. Darren woke up with a massive headache in the early hours of the morning.He realised something was wrong when he went downstairs to get some tablets and noticed his face had drooped on one side.He managed to crawl upstairs and alert his wife.Luckily she noticed the signs of stroke from seeing the advert on tv.She called an ambulance as she knew it was some sort of stroke. Darren had no idea what was happening just knew something was drastically wrong.
Sarah Day, Area Manager for the Stroke Association in the South West said: “When it comes to stroke, time lost is brain lost.A stroke is caused by a blockage or a bleed in the brain, which cuts off the brain’s flow of oxygen and causes brain cells to die. So recognising the symptoms of stroke and calling 999 for an ambulance as quickly as possible is absolutely vital. Acting FAST can help reduce the devastating impact a stroke can have.
“We know that a tenth (11%) of people in the South West wrongly believe a stroke could never happen to them (i). Sadly this cruel condition can happen to anyone at any time. The more people who are FAST aware, the more lives we can save.”
To find out more about the FAST Forward campaign, and to view information and support available, visit www.stroke.org.uk/FastForward.
Ends
For further information, please contact Cheryl Randeria on 07810 697957.
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A stroke is a brain attack which happens when the blood supply to the brain is cut off, caused by a clot or bleeding in the brain. There are around 152,000 strokes in the UK every year and it is the leading cause of severe adult disability. There are over 1.2 million people in the UK living with the effects of stroke.
Stroke Association is a charity. We believe in life after stroke and together we can conquer stroke. We work directly with stroke survivors and their families and carers, with health and social care professionals and with scientists and researchers. We campaign to improve stroke care and support people to make the best recovery they can. We fund research to develop new treatments and ways of preventing stroke. The Stroke Helpline (0303 303 3100) provides information and support on stroke. More information can be found at www.stroke.org.uk
