Our family know about Stokes all too well. Fortunately some of our family members made a full recovery, but some did not. I still find it hard to talk about it, so instead I’d like to share with you, an amazing event coming up to support Action on Stroke Month.
Some of Britain’s top comedic talents and famous faces have joined forces to mark Action on Stroke Month by telling their favourite jokes in support of the Stroke Association’s campaign about mini-stroke: Not just a funny turn.
Tim Vine, Paul O’Grady, Mel Giedroyc, Tim Piggot Smith, Honor Blackman and Stephen K Amos are among the stars backing the campaign sharing their favourite and silliest jokes and one-liners to highlight the cause.
The campaign has been launched by the Stroke Association (supported by Legal & General) to raise awareness of mini-stroke. Thousands of people put themselves at risk of a stroke by dismissing the passing symptoms as ‘just a funny turn’, and are unaware that they are, in fact, having a mini-stroke.
Each year around 46,000 people in the UK have a mini-stroke for the first time. The symptoms are the same as a stroke except that they last no longer than 24 hours. The risk of stroke in the first few days following a mini-stroke is highest and it should be treated as a medical emergency. Call 999 when the symptoms appear.
If mini-stroke (also known as a TIA or transient ischaemic attack) is treated in time, around 10,000 strokes could be prevented annually and the NHS and care services could save more than £200m(i).
Please take a moment to check out the ‘funny-turns’ of some of the nation’s favourite comedians.
The symptoms of a stroke or mini-stroke usually come on suddenly. Other symptoms, sometimes associated with TIA, can include weakness or numbness on one side of the body, loss of vision or blurred vision in one or both eyes, memory loss, confusion or a sudden fall.
The FAST test can help identify the signs of a mini-stroke:
o FACIAL weakness: Can the person smile? Has their mouth or eye drooped?
o ARM weakness: Can the person raise both arms?
o SPEECH problems: Can they speak clearly and understand what you say?
o TIME to call 999
May 6, 2014
My Two Mums
My nan had a stroke a couple of years ago. She was saved by an injection that left her with no ill effects.
Sadly she was taken ill last week and suffered a second stroke this weekend . She wasn’t so lucky this time. Had no idea it was Stroke month. How apt.