The Stroke Campaign Stories

Since May is filled with so many holidays and remembrances it would seem only fitting that we include a very special awareness day during the month of May - Stroke Awareness.

Strokes can strike anyone at any time, even babies in utero. Consider the story of little Brendon.

This is an excerpt taken from his parent's Caring Bridge site:

"At 19 months of age Brendon was diagnosed as having suffered a stroke while in utero. As a result of the stroke he has been diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy, Right Hemiparesis, Muscular Scoliosis, Speech Apraxia and Aphasia. Brendon currently wears braces on both feet and a splint on his right hand. Brendon is two years old and is only able to say a few words."

Brendon's parents stressed the importance of being an advocate for your children because doctors may not recognize the stroke symptoms in children and a misdiagnosis can be detrimental. In their instance, Brendon's delayed diagnosis resulted in delayed treatments and his mother's concerns were simply mistaken for a new mom's paranoia.

In an effort to increase awareness about the devastating affects of strokes upon people of all ages, the National Stroke Association has launched a new campaign called, The Faces of Stroke. The object is to help bring attention to the personal side of stroke and educate the public about important stroke facts. Brendon's parents went public with their personal story in the hopes of alerting others to the consequences of delayed diagnosis.

If you or someone you know has been impacted by a stroke, you have an opportunity to contribute by sharing your story here. There is no financial compensation but the reward is paid in knowing that by sharing your story you may save another life.

Strokes remain the third-leading cause of death in the United States following heart disease and cancer. Every 40 seconds, someone in the United States experiences a stroke.

Remember to act FAST. FAST is the acronym to check in a suspected stroke victim:

• F - Face '" Can they smile? Is the smile droopy on one side?
• A - Arm - After raising both arms, does one of the arms drift downwards?
• S - Speech - After repeating a simple sentence, does their speech sound slurred or strange?
• T - Time - Immediately dial 9-1-1. Every second counts.

As a hemorrhagic stroke survivor myself, I can assure you that when you suffer a brain attack every second counts towards your survival and recovery. I hasten to think what would have resulted if too much time had passed before I received medical intervention.

Please pray for little Brendon and all of the stroke victims and their families. If you have a stroke story to share, contact the Stroke Association and increase public awareness today.

Sources:

http://www.stroke.org/site/PageServer?pagename=aware_FOS&autologin=true

http://www.strokeassociation.org/STROKEORG/WarningSigns/Warning-Signs_UCM_308528_SubHomePage.jsp

http://www.cdc.gov/Features/Stroke/

http://www.facebook.com/NationalStrokeAssociation?sk=wall

http://twitter.com/#!/natlstrokeassoc

1-800-STROKES (787-6537)

www.stroke.org