LifeNet EMS, National Park Medical Center, and CHI St. Vincent Hospital will set up a Stroke Zone during the Hot Springs-Lakeside football game Friday at Hot Springs World Class High School to help raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of stroke.
"There's an organization called Arkansas Saves, and they're associated with the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. They have been looking for ways to push information into the community and educate about the signs and symptoms of stroke," Tina Bell, LifeNet EMS director of public relations and marketing, said.
"Last year we were thinking about how to get that information to people around here, and we thought football games would be a good idea," she said.
"A stroke occurs when a clot blocks the blood supply to the brain or when a blood vessel in the brain bursts. Anyone, regardless of age, can have a stroke. When this happens, brain cells don't get the blood and oxygen that they need to survive and nerve cells stop working within minutes, affecting the part of the body they control. Immediate treatment has been shown to minimize the long-term effects of a stroke and even prevent death," a news release said.
An average of 1,200 Arkansans die each year from stroke, and across the county, it is estimated that someone suffers a stroke every 40 seconds, the release said.
The 2019 football season marks the second year that Stroke Zones have been set up at Garland County games. The zones last from about an hour before the games start through the first quarter of the game.
"We target the games because we know a large amount of the community comes out to those events. We're targeting families across the entire community," Bell said.
Stroke Zones feature games that demonstrate the long-term effects of stroke.
"You roll a dice because you didn't get treatment fast enough to see what long-term disability you have to live with as a result," Bell said, noting there are also other games and prizes.
Magnets are passed out with the BEFAST slogan, which stands for Balance, Eyes, Face, Arm, Speech and Time. Bell said that on average, 200-300 magnets are distributed each game.
Other Stroke Zones were held at Malvern High School and Glen Rose High School football games on Oct. 18 and Oct 25, respectively.
"So far we have not had any schools that didn't want us to do it because they realize how important this information is," Bell said. "Stroke doesn't discriminate. It can happen at any age to anyone."
Local on 11/06/2019