October 29 has been proclaimed as the World Stroke Day in Durham by Regional Chair and CEO John Henry.
He presented a certificate of proclamation (below) on behalf of the Regional Council to the Stroke Survivors Advocacy Group of Canada (SSAGC), which had initiated the effort in late September.
Thanking the region for the proclamation, Jim McEwen, SSAGC Director of Communications and President, Durham Region Stroke Recovery Group (volunteer positions), said: “As we celebrate International Stroke Day on October 29 it’s important for everyone to recall the acronym, ‘FAST’ to help detect a possible stroke.”
He pointed out that the ‘FAST’ acronym (Face, Arms, Speech, Time) is a test to quickly identify if someone is having a stroke.
“Face weakness: Can the person smile? Has their face, mouth or eye drooped? Arm weakness: Can the person raise both arms? Speech problems: Can the person speak clearly and understand what you say? Quick Time response is imperative and to call 911 to ensure patient is taken to correct emergency hospital,” Durham-based McEwen explained.