SWAN HILL District Health were out testing locals’ blood pressure recently as part of Stroke Awareness Week.
Roaming around busy Campbell Street offering
free blood pressure tests, the promotion was in conjunction with Swan Hill’s
Stroke Support Group.
The testing was done in a bid to raise awareness and
promotion about the health issue.
A stroke can occur when blood supply to the
brain is restricted.
This can happen either through a blockage or bleeding
and ultimately cuts off oxygen supply to the brain and can result in paralysis,
speech impairment, loss of memory and reasoning ability, coma and even
death.
Of the 381,400 Australians reported to have had a stroke in 2009, 35
per cent suffered an impairment.
As a result of these statistics, the Stroke
Support Group aims to assist these stroke survivors.
Stroke Support Group
coordinator Joyce Wood said it was important people were aware of the signs of
stroke and the issues that could arise.
For more of this story, see Wednesday’s Guardian (September 19).
