This content was originally published by the Longmont Observer and is licensed under a Creative Commons license.
Presented by Mayor Brian J. Bagley on Tuesday, May 1, 2018, Longmont City Council has set a proclamation designating May 2018 as "Stroke Awareness Month."
Mary Odrzywolski, OTR, Support Group facilitator accepted the proclamation.
The National Stroke Association, American Stroke Association, and other organizations annually promote May as National Stroke Awareness Month.
According to the proclamation, "stroke is a leading cause of serious long-term disability, and the fifth leading cause of death in the United States, killing more than 130,000 people nationwide each year; and WHEREAS, every year nearly 800,000 people have a stroke which means that someone has a stroke every 40 seconds. Stroke can happen to anyone, but increases with age."
The proclamation states that "-warning signs and symptoms of stroke include face drooping, arm weakness, speech difficulty and time to call 9-1-1. Beyond F.A.S.T., additional stroke warning signs and symptoms include sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body; sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding; sudden trouble seeing or trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination; and sudden severe headache with no known case; and WHEREAS, the Longmont Stroke Support Group (a.k.a. "Stroke Warriors") meets monthly at Longmont United Hospital to provide information and support to stroke survivors, family members and friends of stroke survivors."
Locally, the Longmont Stroke Support Group meets on the second Thursday of each month from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Longmont United Hospital. Mary Odrzywolski, a registered occupational therapist (OTR), facilitates the meetings in order to provide information and support to stroke survivors, family members, and friends of stroke survivors.
A rehabilitation/occupational therapist working at Longmont hospital thanked Mayor Bagley accordingly, "I just want to thank you and the council because of this proclamation, if even one person now knows the risk factors of a stroke, it can change their life immensely."
To learn more about "Stroke Awareness Month," please visit www.longmontstrokegroup.com.
