Advocate Trinity Hospital Partners with American Stroke Association to Fight Strokes

Lee Edwards | As of Thursday, May 14, 2015

The primary stroke warning signs via the acronym FAST: Face Dropping, Arm Weakness, Speech Difficulty and Time to Call 911.
The primary stroke warning signs via the acronym FAST: Face Dropping, Arm Weakness, Speech Difficulty and Time to Call 911.

May is American Stroke Month (ASM). That is why Advocate Trinity Hospital (ATH), 2320 E. 93rd St., a primary stroke care facility, and the American Stroke Association (ASA) have teamed up to raise awareness about the of warning signs of a stroke through a series of initiatives and programs.

This year, ASM will highlight the primary stroke warning signs via the acronym FAST (Face Dropping, Arm Weakness, Speech Difficulty and Time to Call 911).

Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in the United States according to ASA.

Jenkins-West's has three family members who have suffered from strokes including her sister, father and aunt. Jenkins-West's sister died from the stroke. However, her aunt and father both survived and recovered from their strokes.

According to the American Stroke Association (ASA), stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts (or ruptures) which can lead to part of the brain not receiving the blood (and oxygen) it needs causing brain cells die. The impact of stroke is dependent on the portion of the brain it occurs.

"Stroke month is important to me because it's one month where I can work hard and bring awareness to this disease but it's not just this month, I try to do it all year long," said Dinene Jenkins-West, stroke program coordinator, Advocate Trinity Hospital. "Across the world, nationally, we are all trying to do the same thing at the same time and then maybe we can reach a greater number of people."

These incidents have made Ms. Jenkins-West a passionate advocate for stroke awareness, prevention and treatment.

"With my partnership with American Heart Association is that they [offer] the latest and greatest happens, what's new, that we need to do to get the awareness out," said Jenkins-West. "It's a really good partnership because some of the resources that I wouldn't have as one person I wouldn't have I have available because of the American Heart Association."

African-Americans have been impacted by stroke more than any other racial group within the American population according to ASA. African-Americans are more likely to suffer a stroke at a younger age. Among people ages 20 to 44, African Americans are two to three times more likely to have a stroke compared to Caucasians

"We tend to not want to go to the doctor and not want to hear about sickness so we don't arm ourselves with the knowledge of the signs and symptoms," said Jenkins-West. "One of the big challenges is to recognize the signs and symptoms and act fast."

Advocate Trinity Hospital invites community members to attend a Faith and Health Meeting a Dinner at May 21 at 6 pm in honor of ASM. For additional information, contact Ms. Jenkins–West via email at dinene.jenkins-west@advocatehealth.com.

Created in 1997, the American Stroke Association is dedicated to prevention, diagnosis and treatment to save lives from stroke

To learn more about the American Stroke Association visit http://www.strokeassociation.org/STROKEORG/.

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