Action on Stroke month

 May is "Action on Stroke" month.

Follow the link below to see how you can be involved:

http://www.stroke.org.uk/strokemonth/supporters

See Hear - Series 33 - Episode 3 - BBC 2 - 17th April 2013

I caught this programme by chance this morning. I found it to be very moving as it told of the struggle that a deaf lady, who had sufferred a stroke, struggled to get the correct treatment

The programme looked into the treatment of stroke survivors and  how little has changed since the Deafness Cognition and Language project made recommendations to the Government over a decade ago.

If anyone maybe interested you can see this programme on IPlayer - it will be available for the next four weeks.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/i/b01s0s89/

Inspirational

Andrew Marr says he's lucky to be alive after stroke

Andrew Marr: "I'm frankly lucky to be alive"

Broadcaster Andrew Marr has appeared on television for the first time since suffering a major stroke, saying he feels "lucky to be alive".

Speaking on his own programme, BBC Two's Andrew Marr Show, he said he had been "heavily overworking" in the year before the stroke, which was sparked by an intensive rowing machine session.
The 53-year-old presenter, who fell ill in January, said he was doing "a lot of physio" to help with his walking.
He added he would be returning to work.
Appearing in a pre-recorded interview on Sunday's programme, the journalist and television presenter took part in a discussion on the legacy of Margaret Thatcher before talking about his illness.
He told guest presenter Sophie Raworth: "I had a major stroke - I'm frankly lucky to be alive.
"I had been heavily overworking - mostly my own fault - in the year before that. I'd had two minor strokes it turned out, in that year, which I hadn't noticed."
Marr explained he had fallen into the "terrible" trap of believing what he read in newspapers, which encouraged people to "take very intensive exercise in short bursts - and that's the way to health".
He went on: "I went onto a rowing machine and gave it everything I had, and had a strange feeling afterwards - a blinding headache, and flashes of light - served out the family meal, went to bed, woke up the next morning lying on the floor unable to move.
"Beware rowing machines, or at least beware being too enthusiastic on rowing machines would be my message to the nation," he said.
Marr said the stroke had not impaired his voice or memory but had affected "the whole left hand side of my body, which is why I'm still not able to walk fluently".
"I do a kind of elegant hobble is the best I can manage - my left arm isn't much good yet and I've got a lot of physio still to do," he said.
'Coming back' However, the presenter added that, after concentrating on a period of "intensive physio", he planned to return to work.
"I'm certainly coming back. I've got a lot more to say about it all, but I'm going to wait until I've gone through the physio to do so."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22141372

Stroke Awareness Day 2013

 


Stroke Awareness Day is fast approaching and Rotary clubs across Great Britain and Ireland are ready to test blood pressures across the country.
April 20th 2013 is Stroke Awareness Day, in partnership with the Stroke Association, and clubs will set up blood pressure testing areas in shopping centres and other public places.
Many people have high blood pressure and are unaware of it, putting them at risk of a stroke unless they make changes to their lifestyle and seek medical attention.
Rotary clubs will also be offering testing services throughout the month of May as well, with the aim of reaching as many people as possible.
For more information, please visit the Rotary International -
Community Service Committee information page.

Know Your Blood Pressure Day (formerly known as Rotary Stroke Awareness Day) is on 20th April 2013, although Rotary clubs are free to hold a Know Your Blood Pressure event at any time throughout the year.

This event is sometimes heralded as the most important community service event of the year. It has and continues to save lives.
2013 is the 10th anniversary of Rotary and the Stroke Association working together and they estimate that in the last 9 years a total of around 200,000 blood pressures have been taken with some 25,000 people having been referred to their GP for follow up of which a staggering 6,500 were considered to be urgent.
The Stroke Association runs the Know Your Blood Pressure campaign with partners such as RIBI, the Ambulance Service Network, and St Andrew's First Aid (Scotland) to offer free blood pressure tests to members of the public.

Annual winter break

Two weeks ago we set off on our annual holiday with our local Cricket Club: this year's destination was Sofia, Bulgaria.
This in itself proved to be a challenge as the group had to convene at 3.00am for the transfer to the airport.

Mount Vitosha

 

Collecting hot water

View from hotel room

 On the first full day the group visited Mount Vitosha and watched  children who were learing to ski. The weather was beautiful, far better than the weather that we had left behind in the U.K..
I managed very well for the three full days that we were there: we travelled by local tram wherever possible. The pavements left a lot to be desired with missing manhole covers and some that we not fitted correctly. Our arrival back home was heralded by further bad weather and our journey from the airport proved testing.
The week after our return was very busy and included a trip to the theatre, an acupuncture appointment and also an invitation to attend a Stroke Rehab Group at the hospital where I received my treatment. Our family are staying for a few days over the Bank Holiday weekend.

 All of this has now taken its toll. I am now exhausted and must have enforced rest. This has happened previously and makes me very emotional. I also get the sensation of "ticking" in my head which is a true sign that I have overdone things - I treat this as a caution. As much as I would like to think that I can carry on in the same way before my Stroke I know that I cannot. It is an intermittent source of frustration, but I take the opportunities as they arise, and I am thankful for everything that I have achieved so far.

Stroke Association's Information, Factsheets and Campaigns

Act FAST: Recognise the symptoms of a stroke

The FAST test – FACE, ARMS, SPEECH, TIME – identifies the most common symptoms of a stroke in three easy to recognise categories.

Facial weakness: Can the person smile? Has their mouth or eye drooped?
Arm weakness: Can the person raise both arms?
Speech problems: Can the person speak clearly and understand what you say?
If you see any one of these three signs, it’s TIME to call 999. Stroke is always a medical emergency.
Calling an ambulance means that the paramedics can decide which is the best hospital to take the patient to. With a stroke, time lost is brain lost, so the quicker a patient arrives at a specialist unit, the quicker they will receive appropriate treatment and the more likely they are to make a better recovery. If you suspect a stroke, always dial 999.
You might spot FAST on the TV or online during the month of March 2013. The Stroke Association is working with the Department of Health to make sure as many people as possible know to Act FAST to save a life. Watch the Department of Health's advert below.
More from the Stroke Association

• Read our factsheets about stroke and TIA (also known as a mini-stroke)
• Share your FAST story with our online stroke community on Facebook and Twitter
• More from NHS Choices about FAST
• How Stroke Association-funded research brought FAST to national attention

Find out how to prevent a stroke or get involved with our prevention campaigns:
Know Your Blood Pressure and Ask First

Style for Stroke

Thanks to Lipcote, 10% of each bottle of their lipstick sealer sold until 14 March will be donated to Stroke. . Another great initiative for Style for Stroke!

 

 

 http://www.stroke.org.uk/Styleforstroke