The Angels Initiative set up tents and medical testing equipment at Randburg taxi rank, encouraging passersby to get tested for their risk of a stroke.
People were tested for hypertension, the leading cause of strokes.
Stroke survivor and CEO of Stroke Survivors Foundation, George Scola, shared his story.
He said, “I was perfectly healthy and fit… I ate the correct things, I exercised regularly and I hardly drank.
“I was hit by a sudden stroke, unable to walk or talk… It took me years to recover.”
Scola and the Angels Initiative encourage people to look out for the warning signs of a stroke by remembering the F.A.S.T. test:
Face – If one side of your face is drooping and you can’t smile
Arm – You cannot lift or hold out your arm for 10 seconds
Speech – You struggle to repeat any sentence
Time – Note the time to get to the nearest hospital or stroke unit as soon as possible.
Scola added, “The quicker you seek medical attention, the less damage will be done to your brain and body.”
During the testing, nurses discovered that a lot of people were suffering from hypertension and referred them to doctors for treatment.
Dr Ferosa Motara explained what happens to a person when they have a stroke. She said, “A stroke happens when the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off. Without blood, brain cells can be damaged or die.
“Depending on which part of the brain is affected and how quickly the person is treated, the effects of stroke on survivors can be devastating to a person’s body, mobility and speech, as well as how they think and feel.”
Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability globally. It can happen to anyone at any age and impacts everyone –survivors, family and friends, workplaces and communities.
The Angels Initiative also held other successful activations at Park Station and Baragwanath taxi ranks on the same day.
If you would like more information on the danger of a stroke, you can visit www.angels-initiative.com
