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National Stroke Association Launches the Faces of Stroke(SM)
Monday, May 2, 2011
By: Taryn Fort
Campaign Aims to Raise Awareness through the Personal Side of Stroke
CENTENNIAL, CO, May 2, 2011
/PRNewswire/ – Bailey Carlson, 17, appears to live a typical teenage life. She
is focused on school, friends and sleepovers. Like many teens, she has days
when all she wants is to feel “normal.”
But Bailey faces something on a daily basis
that most would never imagine: recovery from stroke.
While stroke–a leading cause of death and
adult disability–might seem out of the ordinary for a teen, the reality is that
it affects all ages. It is also up to 80 percent preventable. About 795,000
people will have a stroke this year, yet the public is largely unaware of basic
symptoms. National Stroke Awareness Month
in May is a special time of the year to educate about important stroke facts,
including prevention tips and how to recognize and respond to warning signs.
The Faces of Stroke is National Stroke
Association’s latest effort to raise public awareness in honor of National Stroke Awareness Month. The
campaign aims to educate by revealing the personal side of stroke through
images and stories. From a nurse with a family history of stroke to a 52-year
old man who beat a diagnosis that he would never walk again, the people
participating in this campaign are a community of inspiration.
“By
providing survivors and others affected by stroke a platform on which to tell
their stories, both bad and good, the Faces campaign intends to educate
others about important stroke prevention and treatment information, but it
equally aims to empower those affected by stroke,” said Jim Baranski, Chief
Executive Officer of National Stroke Association.
“Survivors
in particular are deeply impacted on so many levels–emotionally, physically,
socioeconomically–this is not often an experience that people easily return
from. Some people recover 100 percent, but more often than not, they carry some
deficit that, unfortunately, our society stigmatizes. We want those involved in
stroke to be a proud and empowered community, and
hope this campaign provides them an opportunity to recognize they are not
alone. Their identities as stroke survivors and stroke champions can be a
powerful voice to restore the dignity deserved by so many.”
The Faces of Stroke features daily
profiles in May on www.stroke.org, Facebook and Twitter. A free upload tool allows
anyone to join this campaign and include a story in an online gallery. Learn
more at www.stroke.org/faces.
About
Stroke
A stroke is a brain
attack that occurs when a blood clot blocks an artery or a blood vessel breaks,
interrupting blood flow to an area of the brain. The first step to prevention is identifying
if you have any controllable and uncontrollable risk factors and begin to
manage them.
Stroke
is an emergency. Treatment may be available if a person reaches the
hospital in time. Recognizing warning signs can be easy if you remember to
think FAST:
| F= Face |
Ask
the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop? |
| A=Arms |
Ask the person to raise both arms.
Does one arm drift downward? |
| S= Speech |
Ask
the person to repeat a simple phrase. Does the speech sound slurred or strange? |
| T=Time |
If
you observe any of these signs, then it’s time to call 9-1-1 |
About
National Stroke Association
National Stroke Association is the only
national organization in the U.S. that focuses 100 percent of its efforts on
stroke through education and programs focused on prevention, treatment,
rehabilitation and support for all impacted by stroke. Its mission is to reduce
the incidence and impact of stroke.
-End-
Press
Contact: Taryn Fort
tfort@stroke.org
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