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BHB celebrates Stroke Awareness Week

Tuesday 27 October 2020: Bermuda Hospitals Board (BHB) Stroke Centre is focusing on stroke awareness for the public this week. Many Bermuda families are impacted by stroke every year.

“In recent years the number of stroke cases has increased significantly in Bermuda,” said BHB consultant neurologist and Stroke Centre Director Francene Gayle, MD. “Stroke is considered an epidemic on the island. An average of four to five people present at the hospital every week with stroke.”

Stroke is one of the leading causes of adult disability in Bermuda.

“The good news is that there are actions we can take to reduce our stroke risk,” said BHB Stroke Centre Coordinator Jamie Farrell.  “These include keeping our blood pressure at safe levels, lowering our cholesterol, following a heart healthy diet, exercising regularly, not smoking, limiting alcohol intake and controlling diabetes.

“To determine your stroke risk you can use the Stroke Risk Scorecard – National Stroke Association,” said Ms Farrell.

“Recognising the symptoms of stroke is vitally important,” said Dr Gayle. “Every second counts and fast action can actually save lives and often greatly reduce disability. Everyone needs to know the simple acronym BE FAST and what it stands for.”

During the week, BHB will be handing out wallet-sized BE FAST cards. The cards are an easy-access reference guide if you suspect someone is having a stroke.

BHB invites the public to take the daily Stroke Awareness quiz on the Bermuda Hospitals Facebook page. The quiz questions appear at 8am each day until Friday. Answers to the morning questions appear at 6pm each day.

On World Stroke Day, Thursday 29 October, BHB encourages the public to do a physical activity, as regular exercise is key to a healthy lifestyle that reduces the risk of chronic disease including stroke.

Tag BHB in your Stroke Day activity Facebook posts. The Stroke Centre team would love to know what you did.

You can download the Stroke Risk Scorecard and BE FAST flyer below.

Stroke-Risk-Scorecard-2018

BHB BE FAST Flyer

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Notes to Editors
The Bermuda Hospitals Board is a quango (quasi autonomous non-governmental organisation) established under the Bermuda Hospitals Board Act, 1970. It has a Bermuda Government-approved Board and a Chief Executive Officer, responsible for King Edward VII Memorial Hospital and Mid-Atlantic Wellness Institute. At the heart of both organisations is high-quality care to all patients.

With approximately 1,700 employees, the Bermuda Hospitals Board is Bermuda's second largest employer. King Edward VII Memorial Hospital and Mid-Atlantic Wellness Institute are the only healthcare organisations in Bermuda accredited by Accreditation Canada, an independent organisation whose role is to help hospitals examine and improve the quality of care and service they provide to their clients. In addition to providing an extensive list of services for the community, the Bermuda Hospitals Board is part of a referral network that includes some of the world's leading specialist hospitals.

For more information, please visit www.bermudahospitals.bm or contact the Bermuda Hospitals Board Public Relations Department at publicrelations@bhb.bm.