Hospitals go green for awareness in Stroke Week

LIFE Healthcare aims to educate the public that 80% of heart disease and strokes can be prevented if they adopt healthy behaviours as outlined in Stroke Awareness Week, which runs until Sunday.

Chief executive of the Heart and Stroke Foundation SA (HSFSA) Pamela Naidoo said: “Adopting healthy behaviours is key to the prevention of heart disease and strokes. It’s important to know your blood pressure measure, eat nutritious food, engage in physical activity, avoid excessive alcohol use and quit tobacco smoking.”

Ten South Africans have a stroke every hour and it can happen at any age. Life Healthcare aims to raise awareness about the high rate of strokes, by lighting up its facilities in green this week. Lime green is the global colour used to raise stroke awareness.

Life Healthcare’s Dr Karisha Quarrie said: “Early identification of stroke, co-ordinated stroke care and specialised rehabilitation interventions by dedicated stroke teams can minimise secondary complications and disability, and enhance the recovery process.”

According to the HSFSA, 80% of heart disease and strokes can be prevented by education around stroke.

The public needs to be aware of what a stroke is, know about stroke symptoms and more importantly, what to do if you suspect a stroke.

Spokesperson at the Angels Initiative, Carica Combrink, said: “People closest to us are the ‘first responders’ when a stroke occurs. If they can act with certainty and speed to secure emergency treatment, we can save many lives and reduce the severity of long-term disability.”

Every minute a stroke goes untreated, a person loses nearly 1.9 million neurons. Being able to recognise stroke symptoms quickly and going to your nearest emergency hospital is crucial.

Life Healthcare hospitals in partnership with the stroke-awareness Angels Initiative and HSFSA will be raising stroke awareness.

Watch for the FAST warning signs, you might save a life: Face drooping.

Arm weakness. Speech slurred. Time to call for help, straight away!