Press release -
Graham Stuart raises awareness of Know Your Blood Pressure initiative
Everton Ambassador, Graham Stuart, met with Liverpool stroke survivors at the Stroke Association’s Merseyside Life After Stroke Group on Tuesday 12 April to help raise awareness of the importance of knowing your blood pressure.
To support the Stroke Association’s Know Your Blood Pressure initiative, the Blues legend had his own blood pressure checked by Stroke Association staff. He also spent time talking with a group of stroke survivors who attend the weekly sessions at the Hope Centre to hear about their experiences.
The Stroke Association will be in attendance at the Matchday Hub on Spellow Lane from 1pm-2.30pm on Saturday ahead of the kick-off against Southampton. The charity will give fans free blood pressure checks to help raise awareness of one of the biggest risk factors for stroke.
High blood pressure contributes to about half of all strokes. It is treatable with medication and by making lifestyle changes such as taking regular exercise and eating healthily. Almost a quarter of people in the North West are living with high blood pressure.
After attending the session at the Hope Centre, Toffees Ambassadors Graham Stuart said: “I was alarmed to learn the statistics about how many people in the UK are affected by high blood pressure and the number of people who are living without a diagnosis. A blood pressure check only takes a matter of minutes but could rule out the risk of serious health issues in later life.”
Kate Charles, Assistant Regional Manager at the Stroke Association, added “Thousands of people are completely unaware of their own blood pressure levels, and some people we test can be shocked to hear they are showing a high reading. We then encourage them to follow this up with their GP. It’s a quick, free and painless way to find out your own risk. We’re really grateful to Graham for supporting our awareness campaign.By offering free blood pressure checks at Saturday’s fixture we hope to raise awareness of the symptoms, causes and risk factors of stroke with local football fans.”
High blood pressure affects 9.2 million people in the UK and a further estimated 6.8 million could be living without a diagnosis. Uncontrolled blood pressure can, over time, lead to stroke, heart attack, heart failure, kidney damage and eye problems.
The Stroke Association is the UK’s leading stroke charity which campaigns to improve stroke care; supports people to make the best recovery they can; and funds ground-breaking research to change the lives of people affected by stroke.
The Know Your Blood Pressure (KYBP) campaign helps people to understand the link between high blood pressure and stroke. To find out more, visit www.stroke.org.uk/kybp. For more information about stroke, ring the Helpline on 0303 30 33 100 or visit www.stroke.org.uk
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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
