The Minister of Health and Social Services and Josée Boudreault, spokesperson, support once again Heart & Stroke's signs of stroke awareness campaign
MONTRÉAL, Oct. 29, 2018 /CNW Telbec/ - Today is World Stroke Day, and Heart & Stroke is taking this opportunity to launch again its campaign to raise awareness about the signs of stroke and the importance of acting FAST. For a second year in a row, the campaign will be financially supported by the Québec Ministry of Health and Social Services (MSSS).
Host and speaker Josée Boudreault, who suffered her first stroke in July 2016 and her second in September 2017, and her husband Louis-Philippe Rivard are proud to be the spokespersons for the FAST campaign again. "Since Josée became the spokesperson for the campaign, we've received tons of stories from people who also recognized the signs. We're humbled to be part of such an effort to raise awareness about the signs of stroke throughout the province," says Louis-Philippe. "We know firsthand that a stroke can happen at any time, and that it is crucial to act FAST."
Stroke is a medical emergency that occurs 62,000 times a year in Canada, in other words, once every 9 minutes. It is one of the leading causes of death and severe disability in the country. "Knowing the signs of stroke and how to act FAST can make the difference between life and death, or between a full recovery and a long-term disability. The quicker a stroke victim can get to a facility offering acute care for stroke, the better the chances of survival with little or no disability. Unfortunately, many in Québec still ignore the signs of stroke when they appear. That's why Heart & Stroke is proud that Josée and the MSSS are supporting its awareness campaign again this year, to remind the province that knowing the signs and acting FAST is vital," says Francine Forget Marin, director, Health Promotion and Research, Québec, at Heart & Stroke.
When a person has a stroke, every second that passes before treatment counts as the average patient loses 1.9 million brain cells per minute. The FASTer the blood circulation can be restored, the greater the chances of recovery.
For more information, please visit heartandstroke.ca/FAST.
About Heart & Stroke
Life. We don't want you to miss it. That's why Heart & Stroke is leading the fight against heart disease and stroke. We must generate the next medical breakthroughs, so Canadians don't miss out on precious moments. Together, we are working to prevent disease, save lives and promote recovery through research, health promotion and public policy. heartandstroke.ca
SOURCE Heart and Stroke Foundation
Serge Breton, Director, Communications and Regional Marketing, East of Canada, Heart and Stroke Foundation, 514-871-8038 ext. 258, [email protected]
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