Life Springs Parkland Hospital have partnered with Angels Initiative to raise awareness about strokes.
The Angels Initiative is a worldwide initiative, working in 43 countries around the world, that aims to improve acute stroke care.
A stroke occurs when the supply of blood to the brain is interrupted, either due to a blockage or bleed and could happen unexpectedly to a person of any age, or gender.
“Our core focus is to optimise the quality of stroke care treatment in all existing stroke centres, to increase the public awareness so that patients can treat stroke with the urgency that it deserves.
“To increase the number of multidisciplinary team stroke units in both the public and the private health care sector, and to increase the number of patients treated in acutely-in-stroke-ready hospitals.
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“The initiative strive to improve the quality of treatment for every stroke patient.
“Our mission is simple: More and better stroke-ready hospitals,” says Renathe van der Merwe, the Angel’s stroke consultant.
Parkland Hospital joined this initiative as part of the Life Healthcare group which initiated across all their hospitals.
Hospital manager Cora Muller says their doctors and nurses have received training.
“Forty-nine paramedics were also trained last Thursday as they are the ones who respond to the patient’s distress call.
“With the different types of strokes, the key to survival and limiting brain damage is getting the patient to a hospital that is equipped to deal with strokes as fast as possible.
“To recognise a stroke remember FAST – A four-letter word that can save your life or of someone you love.
“Here is what you need to look out for:
F – Facial drooping
A – An arm and/or leg going weak
S – Slurred speech, wrong words used or unable to speak
T–Stands for TIME! Every minute counts.
“The key is to recognise and react to this medical emergency and contact Life Springs Parkland Hospital at 011 812 4136 or 011 812 4178 and let them know you are on your way with a stroke patient,” says Muller.
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