By Jessica Anstice
Narre Warren North’s Toni Arfaras is urging fellow residents to be stroke aware this year by organising or attending a potentially life-saving StrokeSafe talk.
Ms Arfaras is committed to spreading the word about preventing this potentially deadly disease along with knowing the steps to take in a stroke emergency.
Ms Arfaras, a stroke survivor herself, started volunteering as an ambassador with the Stroke Foundation to raise awareness about stroke, the risk factors and symptoms.
She is concerned a combined total of more than 580 strokes are expected in her electorates of Holt and La Trobe this year alone.
Across Australia there will be one stroke every nine minutes.
“Stroke can have a devastating impact on individuals and families, and it can happen to anyone at any age,” Ms Arfaras said.
“The outlook does not need to be this grim. Eighty percent of strokes are preventable and with the right treatment at the right time many people are able to make a full recovery.
“Stroke is always a time-critical medical emergency. Through the StrokeSafe sessions I encourage locals to learn the signs of stroke and understand how important it is to get to hospital quickly.”
Ms Arfaras said the simple way to recognise the signs of stroke was by remembering the word FAST. Using the F.A.S.T test involves asking these 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 000 straight away
Stroke Foundation CEO Sharon McGowan said Ms Arfaras and fellow StrokeSafe Ambassadors played an important role in raising stroke awareness.
“Ambassadors provide first-hand accounts of their experience of stroke and insight into how a stroke can impact lives and families. These talks can be really powerful,’’ Ms McGowan said.
“Stroke can be prevented, it can be treated and it can be beaten, however not enough of us know what to do in a stroke emergency. We want somebody in every Australian household to know the signs of stroke and to call triple zero.
“I encourage community groups to arm themselves with the knowledge required to respond to a stroke and consider a StrokeSafe Education talk today.”
StrokeSafe Ambassadors are available to deliver talks in a range of locations throughout Australia.
If you would like to arrange for an ambassador like Ms Arfaras to visit your community and talk about stroke prevention, please call 1300 194 196 or book online at www.strokefoundation.org.au.
