Stroke Survivors And Their ‘Savers’ Call On People To Act F.A.S.T. As Part Of NHS Campaign

Juliet Bouverie OBE, Chief Executive of the Stroke Association said: “Stroke is when a blockage or a bleed stops blood getting to your brain and your brain starts to die. We know that despite its debilitating and deadly consequences, strokes are still largely misunderstood. Stroke is a medical emergency and time lost is brain lost. This is why it’s incredibly important that you act FAST. It is our responsibility to know the signs and be on the lookout for stroke. Acting FAST saves lives. We’ve seen impressive results from previous Act FAST campaigns. This one little thing could save a life.”

Stroke Survivors And Their ‘Savers’ Call On People To Act F.A.S.T. As Part Of NHS Campaign

Patients who have survived a stroke are joining forces with their ‘savers’ and the NHS to encourage people to act F.A.S.T. and call 999 if they have symptoms of a stroke.

The call is part of an NHS campaign to increase public awareness of the signs of stroke- also known as a ‘brain attack’ -after new findings show one in five people are not confident, they could recognise the typical signs.

The F.A.S.T. acronym aims to remind people that the key signs of stroke are a face that has fallen on one side (F), arm weakness (A) and slurred speech (S) – which indicate that it’s time (T) to call 999.  

A survey found that 59% of adults in England were not aware that stroke is the fourth highest cause of death in the UK and two fifths (39%) of those surveyed did not recognise stroke as a medical emergency that requires urgent attention.

The NHS has been reminding the public to get help by calling 999 in a life-threatening emergency, such as stroke, or going to NHS 111 online as the first port of call for non-urgent health needs.

Today, moving photographic portraits of stroke survivors, alongside their stroke ‘savers’, will be unveiled, showing significant life moments they have been able to celebrate since their stroke - from a father being able to walk his daughter down the aisle to a husband and wife reaching their Diamond Anniversary milestone.

TV Chef Brian Turner CBE and Radio Presenter Mark Goodier are among those taking part, both having survived strokes thanks to others who spotted the signs and acted fast to call an NHS ambulance.

The new images- shot by renowned Getty Royal Photographer, Chris Jackson -are part of the relaunched ‘Help Us, Help You’ Act F.A.S.T. campaign, supported by the Stroke Association, which highlights that stroke is a medical emergency and urges the public to call 999 if they notice any signs of a stroke in themselves or others.

Around 100,000 people have a stroke each year in England, Scotland and Wales, which is approximately one stroke every five minutes, with around 33,000 stroke-related deaths in 2021 alone. Early recognition of stroke symptoms can give patients extra precious minutes, enabling faster access to specialist treatment and increasing the chances of a better outcome.

Dr Deb Lowe, the NHS National Clinical Director for Stroke, said: “It’s very concerning that so many people might not realise that stroke is a medical emergency and that even less people say they don’t feel confident they could recognise if someone was having a stroke. That’s why we are running this campaign, to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of stroke and encouraging anyone who notices them not to delay calling 999.”

Some other signs that may be due to a stroke or mini stroke include:    

• Sudden loss of vision or blurred vision in one or both eyes 
• Sudden weakness or numbness on one side of your body (including in your leg) 
• Sudden memory loss or confusion  
• Sudden dizziness, unsteadiness or a sudden fall, especially with any of the other signs   
• Call 999 immediately if you notice any single one of the signs of stroke 

Celebrity Radio Presenter Mark Goodier: “Having a stroke came as a complete surprise and being unable to speak was frightening. My wife being there to spot the signs of my stroke so quickly undoubtedly changed my life. Within minutes we got help and, due to the excellent treatment I received at my local hospital stroke unit, I’m lucky to have made a very good recovery and I’m now back on the radio doing what I love.”

NHS ambulance paramedics are trained in stroke, so ensure anyone having one, receives emergency medical care and specialist treatment, when responding to 999 callouts.

TV Chef Brian Turner CBE: “I’m so grateful to my agent Louise for spotting I was experiencing a stroke and getting me help. I can’t emphasise enough how vital it is to call 999 when you notice any of the signs of a stroke. Thanks to her, I was able to receive medical attention quickly, meaning I’m now back on my feet and helping the next generation of young chefs into the kitchen.”

There are three different types of stroke:

• Ischaemic stroke - caused by a blockage cutting off the blood supply to the brain
• Haemorrhagic stroke - caused by bleeding in or around the brain
• Transient ischaemic attack (TIA) - also known as a mini-stroke, where a blockage temporarily stops blood getting to the brain

Juliet Bouverie OBE, Chief Executive of the Stroke Association said: “Stroke is when a blockage or a bleed stops blood getting to your brain and your brain starts to die. We know that despite its debilitating and deadly consequences, strokes are still largely misunderstood. Stroke is a medical emergency and time lost is brain lost. This is why it’s incredibly important that you act FAST. It is our responsibility to know the signs and be on the lookout for stroke.

Commenting on the impact of a stroke, and the need for more public awareness of their signs. Health Minister Helen Whately said: “Strokes can be sudden and devastating, and they are the fourth highest cause of death in the UK.

“Quickly recognising the key symptoms is vital, and this NHS campaign has the potential to save lives and improve outcomes for survivors by raising awareness of the signs.

“It is essential that people act fast and call 999 in a life-threatening emergency, like a stroke, ensuring people can spend more precious moments with their loved ones.”

Acting FAST saves lives. We’ve seen impressive results from previous Act FAST campaigns. This one little thing could save a life.”

To see the photographic portraits, visit

https://www.england.nhs.uk/ActFAST/

For more information on stroke visit NHS website.

Ends

Background

1. New NHS portraits featuring stroke survivors: TV chef Brian Turner CBE and radio presenter, Mark Goodier, and real-life case studies, alongside their ‘stroke savers’, portraying significant life moments they have been able to celebrate since their stroke.
2. Below are quotes from real-life stroke survivors and savers, who are willing to speak about their experience, and the importance of Acting F.A.S.T:

• Brian Turner (survivor, aged 76) and his Agent Louise (saver, aged 53)
  • TV chef Brian Turner CBE suffered a stroke in July 2022 when he arrived at the office. His agent, Louise, noticed that he couldn’t speak and was having trouble focusing his eyes. She recognised the symptoms immediately and called for an ambulance. The TV personality, best known for being a chef on the BBC programme, Ready Steady Cook, says that the stroke has left him with a slight stammer, but has since got back into the kitchen and is involved in a number of industry initiatives to help inspire the next generation of young chefs.
• Mark Goodier (survivor, aged 61) and wife Jacqueline (saver, aged 60)
  • One morning in October 2016, Mark suddenly collapsed on to the bed. He couldn’t speak or swallow and his face had fallen on one side. His wife, Jacqueline and their daughter Grace immediately recognised the signs of stroke and called for an ambulance straight away. He was thrombolysed within 90 minutes and has since made a very good recovery. Mark has said that he still experiences fatigue which is common after stroke and admits his stroke has changed his physical strength. Mark has since returned to work in radio at Greatest Hits radio, at his podcast company Listen and at Wisebuddah, the leading international radio jingles and imaging company.
• Dr John Stephens (survivor, aged 59) and his wife, Margo Stephens (saver, aged 59)
  • GP Dr John had returned from a holiday in France in summer ’21 when he got up and Margo noticed he was stumbling and had some facial weakness. Margo did the F.A.S.T. test and called 999. John had an immediate thrombectomy in hospital, with intensive rehab, and was back at home after six weeks. Dr John was able to find his passion for singing again last year and had the honour of singing at Salisbury Cathedral and featuring in the choir for Evensong at an old Chorister’s reunion.
• Keith Laundon (survivor, aged 75) and his wife, Angela (saver, aged 72)
  • Keith was at home in summer ’21 when he noticed he couldn’t move his right arm. Angela acted F.A.S.T. having spotted the same signs with her mother previously, dialling 999. Keith underwent a thrombectomy in hospital within three hours and just a few days later was back at home. Last year, Keith lived to walk his daughter down the aisle on her wedding day.
• Carol Wilson (survivor, aged 50) and her husband Paul (saver, aged 50)
  • Paul and carol had returned from a week in Cornwall when in summer ’21, Carol woke up to cramp, a headache and blurred vision. Paul acted F.A.S.T. and dialled 999. Carol underwent a thrombectomy and by that afternoon, Carol was enjoying a cup of tea and was home just two days later. Carol and Paul love travelling abroad in their camper van and this year have celebrated their 20-year wedding anniversary after 30 years together.
• Mark Gater (survivor, aged 59) and wife Victoria (saver, aged 55)
  • In 2018, Victoria heard a loud bang and rushed to find Mark on the floor, with his right side of his body limp and face dropped. Acting F.A.S.T., she dialled 999 and within hours had received a brain scan. Mark spent six weeks in hospital and six months in a rehabilitation centre. He was unable to speak for over 40 days, but his first word was ‘Victoria’. Mark and Victoria have since experienced the birth of their first grandchild and enjoy taking them to exciting places like the Zoo and seeing the world through their eyes.
• Jashwant Naker (survivor, aged 80) and his wife Sushila (saver, aged 80)
  • In Summer 2021, Jashwant and Sushila were watching the Olympic Games when Jashwant’s vision went blurry, and his speech slurred. Sushila acted F.A.S.T. and drove him to hospital where he remained for three days. Since his stroke, they’ve enjoyed their 70 and 80th birthdays and big trips around the world. This April, Jashwant and Sushila are celebrating their Diamond wedding anniversary together.