For the month of February, our community outreach focused on raising stroke awareness within minority populations. Brody Emerson, RN, at Chicot Memorial Medical Center, and Leigh Anthony, UAMS East Regional Campus – Lake Village Site Director, visited the Chicot County Health Unit and provided staff education with stroke resources and other informative materials for local patients. Brody is the UAMS Institute for Digital Health & Innovation Stroke Program (formerly known as AR SAVES) Nurse Facilitator for CMMC. Two of the staff members present had their own personal experiences with stroke to share with us as well. The simple phrase, BE FAST, as seen being held by staff in the attached picture, is an easy way to remember the signs and symptoms of stroke. B for BALANCE (is there a sudden loss of balance?), E for EYESIGHT (is there a change in vision in one or both eyes?), F for FACE (does their face look uneven?), A for ARM (does one arm drift down?), S for SPEECH (does their speech sound strange?), and T for TIME (time is brain! call 9-1-1!). Knowing this could one day save a life! Thank you to the health unit staff for participating in this educational experience with us!
