Charlottetown, PEI: Would you know what to do if you or a loved one experienced a stroke? With the generous support of Summerside Chrysler Dodge, Heart & Stroke is urging Islanders to learn the signs of stroke and to call 9-1-1 immediately when they recognize them, with the help of their FAST campaign.
FAST is an easy way to memorize the major signs of stroke:
Face – is it drooping?
Arms – can you raise them?
Speech – is it slurred or jumbled?
Time to call 9-1-1 right away.
A stroke is a medical emergency that occurs 62,000 times a year in Canada — once every nine minutes. More than 4,500 Prince Edward Island residents living today are stroke survivors, with over 470 stroke events occurring in the province last year.
According to a recent poll conducted by Heart & Stroke, 78% of Islanders reported the first thing they would do to help someone experiencing a stroke is call 9-1-1. Only 22% knew all three FAST signs, while 59% knew at least two signs. This is an improvement over the previous year when 16% of Islanders reported knowing all three of the signs and 50% knew at least two, demonstrating the efficacy of Heart & Stroke’s awareness campaign.
When a person has a stroke, every second that passes before treatment counts, as the average patient loses 1.9 million brain cells per minute. Acting quickly by calling 9-1-1 can improve the chances of both survival and recovery, with an ambulance transporting the person to the nearest stroke centre.
“We know that quick action and recognizing the signs of stroke can be the difference between life and death, or between a full recovery versus a long-term disability. With strokes, timing really is of the essence,” says Mary-Ann Butt, Senior Vice President, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador, Heart & Stroke. “Our FAST campaign has educated many Canadians on the signs and symptoms of a stroke. We hope that by continuing to raise awareness of signs of stroke, we can further improve the outcomes for Islanders who have experienced a stroke.
Summerside Chrysler Dodge has made a generous $25,000 donation to further Heart & Stroke’s FAST campaign efforts and increase stroke awareness throughout the province.
“We are proud to support Heart & Stroke in their efforts to educate Islanders on the signs of stroke and the action to call 9-1-1 so we can take quick action to help ourselves and others in the event of an emergency,” says Warren Ellis, owner, Summerside Chrysler Dodge.
Learn more about the FAST signs of stroke
About Heart & Stroke
Life. We don’t want you to miss it. That’s why Heart & Stroke leads the fight to beat heart disease and stroke. We must generate the next medical breakthroughs, so Canadians don’t miss out on precious moments. Together, we are working to prevent disease, save lives and promote recovery through research, health promotion and public policy. Heartandstroke.ca @HeartandStroke
For more information
Jessica Weingarten
Senior Manager, Communications
Jessica.Weingarten@heartandstroke.ca
647.426.8454