Southcoast Health partnered with the City of Fall River Emergency Medical Services and the City of New Bedford Emergency Medical Services to host pop-up health events and promote stroke education across the South Coast region.  

Throughout the month of May, which is nationally recognized as Stroke Awareness Month, these events and regional educational media promotion were made possible thanks to a $20,000 grant awarded to this group from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and Borderland Partners.

A stroke is a serious medical condition that requires emergency care. According to the CDC, every 40 seconds someone in the United States has a stroke, totaling to more than 795,000 people across the country annually. Strokes are also the leading cause of serious long-term disability nationally.  

“Stroke education is imperative to the health of our community. About 80 percent of strokes can be prevented by modifying risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes, smoking and alcohol intake and prioritizing exercise and a healthy diet,” said Dr. Daniel Sacchetti, Stroke Director at Southcoast Health. “We are so thankful for the support of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and Borderland Partners, as well as our community partners, to make our Stroke Awareness Collaboration Program a success.”          

The grant awarded supports a multi-platform community engagement program to increase stroke education, awareness and screening. Positioning the pop-up screening events across the region, the health fairs strived to meet community members where they are, including those with language barriers in underserved neighborhoods.

Southcoast Health has implemented best practice workflows with emergency medical services and neighboring health systems to coordinate timely noninvasive and invasive stroke services. All three Southcoast Hospitals received national recognition for the exceptional stroke care they provide to our community this year.

Knowing the key signs and symptoms of a stroke and calling 911 immediately can save a life and help prevent disability. The F.A.S.T. acronym is an easy way to remember both.

• Face: Does the face look uneven? Ask the person to smile
• Arm: Does one arm drift down? Ask the person to raise both arms
• Speech: Does the speech sound strange? Ask the person to repeat a phrase
• Time: If you observe these symptoms, call 911

To learn more about Stroke Care at Southcoast Health, please visit Stroke Care Services MA | Southcoast Health.