Press release -
Heather urges people from Surrey to act FAST
05 February 2015
Stroke survivor from Surrey 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 Surrey 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
Heather Cooper, 49 from Fetcham, had a stroke in October last year and believes the FAST Test could have saved her life. Heather woke up at 3am to go to the bathroom. On her way back to bed she knew that something wasn’t right.She tried to sit on the bed and crashed onto the floor, hitting the dressing table on the way down.Heather lost the feeling down left side of her body and her face dropped. Mia, Heather’s 13 year old daughter, recognised the FAST Symptoms when her Mum showed her that she couldn’t lift her arm. Mia knew straight away that her Mum had a stroke, because she had seen the FAST adverts. Mia explained to her Dad that they had to call the ambulance.
Sandra Field, Regional Head of Operations for the Stroke Association in the South East of England 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 one in 10 people (12%) in the South 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
