Raising awareness of stroke at Tambotie Mall

Life Robinson Private Hospital offered various health screenings as part of Stroke Awareness Week at Tambotie Mall on November 4.

According to Life Robinson Private Hospital marketing and communications co-ordinator Melanie van Staden, this included blood pressure, glucose, cholesterol and body mass index tests.

“The aim was to create awareness of stroke risk factors, share tips for maintaining a healthy lifestyle and educate the public. Strokes are a life-threatening condition but with the right knowledge and lifestyle choices, they can be treated and the risk reduced.”

Van Staden added that Stroke Awareness Week commenced on October 28 at the hospital’s emergency unit where they conducted more than 105 blood pressure and body mass index screenings on the day.

On November 4, the hospital collaborated with Lancet Laboratories to offer blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose screenings at Tambotie Mall where a total of 144 screenings were conducted on the day.

Meanwhile, during the screenings, the importance of recognising the warning signs of a stroke, and receiving immediate medical attention was emphasised.

Attendees were taught about the FAST acronym, which is an easy way to remember the symptoms of a stroke:

• Face – smile, or show your teeth. Is one side of your face drooping?
• Arm – close your eyes and hold your arms out for 10 seconds. Does one of your arms drift down?
• Speech – repeat any sentence. Is your speech slurred, do you use the wrong words or do you have an inability to speak?
• Time – note the time and get to the nearest emergency unit immediately. Every minute counts