A stroke can happen to anyone, from newborns, to children to adults. It is NOT an elderly person’s disease. Most people are unaware that the faster they have treatment, the better chances for full recovery.
Stroke is the #1 cause of disability, the #2 cause of dementia, and the #3 cause of death in Canada.
The Heart & Stroke Foundation of B.C. and Yukon has launched a campaign to familiarize people with the five signs of stroke:
- rapid onset of weakness
- speech impairment
- vision problems
- sudden severe headache
- sudden dizziness
- fewer than 54 percent of British Columbians can name two of the five stroke warning signs
- About 1,500 people (one third of stroke victims) in B.C. die within a year of their stroke
- Dealing with the annual costs of strokes in B.C. costs roughly $330 million