Home Local News Wigan stroke survivor backs Stroke Association’s FAST message

Wigan stroke survivor backs Stroke Association’s FAST message

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Stroke survivor Elaine Pye, 53, from Wigan is urging people across the North West to be aware of the warning signs of stroke, and share the FAST message to help save more lives.

Elaine had worked supporting local stroke survivors for over 17 years when she had a stroke herself.

Elaine said: “I began working for the Stroke Association in 1999 when the charity set up its first support service in the Wigan area. As I’d recently lost a number of very close family members to stroke, including my mother, grandmother and aunt, I knew without hesitation I had to support the work of this charity and even became a Family and Carer Support Worker.”

“However, after 17 fantastic years proudly working for the Stroke Association, without any warning my life suddenly changed. I had a stroke myself in May 2016, at just 52 years old.”

Fortunately, Elaine had educated her family about the signs and symptoms of stroke throughout her long career, and when she had a stroke herself, they recognised the FAST signs straight away.

Elaine added: “My family had endured years of enthusiastic, passionate chatter about amazing breakthroughs in the field of stroke, and saw how excited I was every time the FAST advert came on TV. Thankfully something registered in their minds because after the initial shock, they quickly identified that I was having a stroke.”

Elaine was admitted to Salford Royal Hospital within two hours and received thrombolysis, a clot busting treatment.

Elaine said: “Even though the hospital provided amazing care, waking up on a hyper acute stroke unit was still without doubt a truly terrifying experience. I do still have some of the hidden effects, mainly cognitive and memory problems, but I’m very aware how fortunate I’ve been to make such a great recovery and with the support and encouragement from mangers I’ve been able to return to work for the Stroke Association, which means so much to me.”

The Stroke Association is raising awareness of the signs of stroke, calling on people to learn the symptoms, and call 999 as soon as they spot them.

The FAST test helps people recognise the most common symptoms of a stroke and the right action to take:

FACE: Can the person smile? Has their mouth or eye drooped?

ARMS: Can the person raise both arms?

SPEECH: Can the person speak clearly and understand what you say?

TIME to call 999

Chris Larkin, Regional Director at the Stroke Association, said: “Stroke can happen to anyone at any age, at any time, and when it strikes, every second counts.

“A stroke is a medical emergency, so recognising the signs and calling 999 for an ambulance is crucial. The quicker a person arrives at a specialist stroke unit, the quicker they will receive appropriate treatment. That’s why we’re calling on people in the North West to learn the FAST test and share it with their friends and family. Knowing how to spot the warning signs of a stroke could save a life.”

To find out more about the FAST test, and the Stroke Association’s work to raise awareness of the warning signs of stroke, visit www.stroke.org.uk/FAST.

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