What is a stroke: According to the information on the Stroke Foundation's website: A stroke happens when blood supply to the brain is interrupted. Blood is carried to the brain by blood vessels called arteries. Blood contains oxygen and important nutrients for your brain cells. Blood may be interrupted or stop moving through an artery, because the artery is blocked (ischaemic stroke) or bursts (haemorrhagic stroke). When brain cells do not get enough oxygen or nutrients, they die. The area of brain damage is called a cerebral infarct.
Gideon Meltzer from the Stroke Foundation spoke to a rapt audience of members and friends on Zoom and provided some
answer to the question: What is a Stroke? As part of his presentation Gideon explained that Stroke can impact on not just the older members of our community but there have been instances of babies (and in some cases embryos) have suffered a stroke.Gideon does not appear to fit the expected description of a stroke sufferer. He is young, fitness and health conscious, but he suffered a stroke in 2015 whilst on holidays with his family in Israel. He was lucky; within those very important few minutes an ambulance was able to rush him to hospital and treatment. On return to Australia, he commenced the long journey to recovery. Gideon has a successful young lawyer prior to the stroke and having subsequently trained in public speaking, he now passes on his experience of stroke and recovery, sharing life-saving messages on prevention and improving Life After Stroke.
As part of his presentation, Gideon stressed the importance of learning and recognising the warning signs of stroke. F A S T.
F Has their [FACE] drooped?
A Can they lift both [ARMS]?
S is their [SPEECH] slurred and do they understand you?
T Call 000. [TIME] is important.
For more information on identifying Stroke and its aftermath: https://strokefoundation/