In recognition of Stroke Awareness Month, Wadley Regional Medical Center and HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital will be hosting the 2nd Annual Stroke Survivor Reunion on Wednesday, May 8, 2013 from 4:30 pm – 6:00 pm at HealthSouth. Remarks will be made by Dr. Khalid Malik, Medical Director of the Wadley and HealthSouth Stroke Program.

“As a designated stroke center, community education is an important part of our responsibility,” says Sher Fomby, stroke coordinator for Wadley. “Thirty-seven percent of all Americans cannot accurately identify even one stroke warning sign per the American Stroke Association website, so we actively provide education throughout our service area to teach the signs and symptoms.” It is also important that the stroke victim or family member record the time when the first stroke symptom appeared as this will determine if the patient is a candidate for the clot busting drug, tPA. Last year, many of the 795,000 Americans who suffered a stroke did not get the right lifesaving treatment in time. Through awareness and education, you can help save lives and improve recovery by thinking F.A.S.T. These simple letters can help you recognize the signs of a stroke and get help right away.

FACE DROOPING — Does one side of the face droop or is it numb? Ask the person to smile. Is the person’s smile uneven?

ARM WEAKNESS — Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?

SPEECH DIFFICULTY — Is speech slurred? Is the person unable to speak or hard to understand? Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence, like “The sky is blue.” Is the sentence repeated correctly?

TIME TO CALL 9-1-1 — If someone shows any of these symptoms, even if the symptoms go away, call 9- 1-1 and get the person to the hospital immediately. Check the time so you’ll know when the first symptoms appeared.

BEYOND F.A.S.T. — OTHER SYMPTOMS YOU SHOULD KNOW — Sudden numbness or weakness of the leg, sudden confusion or trouble understanding, sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes, sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or loss of coordination and/or sudden severe headache with no known cause.

Join Dr. Malik and members of the care team from both Wadley and HealthSouth for an uplifting celebration of life with food, door prizes and fellowship.