Watford stroke survivor backs Stroke Association’s FAST message

Press release -

Watford stroke survivor backs Stroke Association’s FAST message

Stroke survivor Joanne Cassidy, 47, from Watford,is urging people across the region to be aware of the warning signs of stroke, and share the FAST message to help save more lives.

Joanne, a mother of two, had a stroke in March last year. Fortunately Joanne’s daughter Becky, 19, recognised the signs of a stroke and acted FAST.

Joanne said: “When I woke up I could hear my daughters getting ready, but I couldn’t move my body or speak. My daughter Becky thought I was still sleeping, but as she came into my room to use my mirror, she took one look at me and knew something wasn’t right. She shouted to my other daughter that I was having a stroke, then grabbed my mirror and put it to my face. That’s when I could see my mouth had dropped to one side.”

Joanne was rushed to Watford General Hospital. The stroke left Joanne with a communication difficulty called aphasia, and weakness in her right arm. Joanne now attends the Stroke Association’s West Hertfordshire Communication Support Service.

Joanne added: “If my daughter wasn’t with me the day I had a stroke, things could had been a lot different. I’m certain that Becky saved my life that day. I’m now really passionate about spreading the word about stroke, and raising awareness of the FAST test.”

The Stroke Association is raising awareness of the signs of stroke, calling on people to learn the symptoms, and call 999 as soon as they spot them.

The FAST test helps people recognise the most common symptoms of a stroke and the right action to take:

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

ARMS: Can the person raise both arms?

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

TIME to call 999

Laura McGregor, Stroke Association Support Coordinator at the Stroke Association,said: “Stroke can happen to anyone at any age, at any time, and when it strikes, every second counts.

“We want more people like Becky to learn the FAST test and share it with their friends and family. Knowing how to spot the warning signs of a stroke could save a life.”

To find out more about the FAST test, and the Stroke Association’s work to raise awareness of the warning signs of stroke, visit www.stroke.org.uk/FAST.

Topics

  • 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 more than 100,000 strokes in the UK each year; that is around one stroke every five minutes. 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

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