A passionate public speaker is on a mission to educate hundreds of Northern Territory residents about the signs of stroke.
Adelaide’s Janet Weir will give 14 at Darwin retirement villages, libraries, probus, sports and bowls clubs over the next two weeks.
Janet is among one of 160 StrokeSafe volunteers who help educate Australians about stroke awareness and prevention.
“When I give talks, I am often surprised to hear how little people know about stroke or the F.A.S.T. message, and these talks are helping to change that,” Janet said.
“It is very rewarding being able to educate people about stroke. We’re asking them to recognise the signs, act quickly, and tell your friends, because you may prevent a stroke and save a life.”
StrokeSafe talks are available for workplaces, community groups and local events all year round. They are often presented by survivors of stroke, or people who have been touched by stroke in some way.
They provide life-saving information about stroke prevention and recognition and aim to reduce the number of Australians impacted by stroke through education.
Stroke Foundation Chief Executive Officer Dr Lisa Murphy commended Janet for her service.
“An Australian has a stroke every 19 minutes. More than 2,500 survivors of stroke are living in the community across the Northern Territory.” Dr Murphy said.
“Stroke is one of Australia’s biggest killers and a leading cause of disability, but 80 per cent of strokes are preventable.
“Janet and our other StrokeSafe speakers play such an important role in helping educate the community and changing the statistics about stroke.”
Another key element of a StrokeSafe talk is teaching the community how to recognise the most common signs of a stroke and to act quickly to access treatment using the F.A.S.T test and asking three simple questions.
- Face – Check their face. Has their mouth drooped?
- Arms – Can they lift both arms?
- Speech – Is their speech slurred? Do they understand you?
- Time – Time is critical. If you see any of these signs, call triple zero (000) straight away.
