World Stroke Day is October 29!

Me with Dr. Carolyn Brockington

World Stroke Day is coming up and I’m looking forward to participating in the events surrounding this very important campaign.

World Stroke Day was established by the World Stroke Organization in 2006 to help spread public awareness of the world’s high stroke risk and stroke prevalence. As a spokesperson for the American Stroke Association, I will be participating in a media tour to help raise awareness of the signs of a stroke. I’ll also be appearing at the Covidien World Stroke Day event in New York City. Covidien, a medical product company that manufactures a device to treat strokes, sponsors the American Stroke Association’s Together to End Stroke initiative as well as the World Stroke Organization.

There are more ways to treat stroke than ever before, but the important thing for us to remember is that time matters. When you call 9-1-1 at the first sign of stroke, you have a greater chance of getting to an appropriate hospital quickly and being assessed for treatment options like a clot-busting drug called tPA or a medical device.

I cannot stress how important it is to recognize the signs of a stroke. I am passionate about educating the public on this disease that is the number 4 cause of death in the U.S. Remember F.A.S.T. which stands for Face Drooping – Arm Weakness – Speech Difficulty – Time to call 9-1-1 immediately. And don’t forget the warning sign I know all too well, the blurry visual field. Don’t hesitate to get yourself to the ER pronto!