A local service based at Geraldton Health Campus is making sure Midwest residents know how to survive a stroke – and the team behind the service has won a national award for its work in combating Australia’s second biggest killer.

The WA Country Health Service Midwest Stroke and Rehabilitation Team recently won the National Stroke Foundation’s Strokesafe Award in the Rural Hospital Team category.

WACHS-Midwest Speech Pathologist Jen Caleno said the award was presented in recognition of the team’s educational and promotional activities in raising awareness in the community about stroke, what to do when someone suffers a stroke and how to help save lives.

 “We have a range of promotional strategies to deliver our message about stroke to the community, including wallet cards, information displays and staff presentations at local residential aged care facilities,” Ms Caleno said.

 “In the lead up to the national awards, we also conducted radio interviews with team members and stroke survivors and we entered a team in the annual Wild West Cycle Race to Kalbarri to promote our message.”

 Ms Caleno said that according to the National Stroke Foundation, around 60,000 Australians suffered new or recurrent strokes each year.

 “That’s one stroke occurring every 10 minutes,” she said.

 “Recognising the signs of stroke and acting quickly can be the difference between life and death or severe disability.

 “Winning this award has been very encouraging and we will continue to work to provide the community with the information they need to help increase the number of people who survive a stroke.”

 The Midwest Team is supporting a Golf Day to be held at Spalding Golf Club on Thursday 18 December.

 The National Stroke Foundation asks all Australians to use the FAST Test, a simple way to identify the signs of Stroke:

 ·        Face – Can the person smile?  Has their mouth drooped?

·        Arms – Can the person raise both arms?

·        Speech – Can the person speak clearly and understand what you say?

·        Time – Act FAST and call 000 immediately if you recognise any of these signs of Stroke.

 ENDS

PHOTO OPPORTUNITY

 WACHS-Midwest Stroke and Rehabilitation Team will hold a Golf Day at Spalding Golf Club with team members and competition entrants available for photographs.

 WHEN:          Thursday, 18 December 2008 - Prize presentations from 6:00pm.

WHERE:       Spalding Park Golf Club, Green Street, Spalding