Stroke survivors and caregivers gathered outside Crossroads Church in Red Deer this afternoon for the ninth annual Walk, Talk and Roll event supporting the Heart and Stroke Foundation.

Participants took a kilometre-long stroll around the church parking lot and returned inside for lunch and for speeches.

Callie Leshchyshyn is an area manager for the Heart and Stroke Foundation. She said the event, organized by the Central Alberta Stroke Survivors, is aimed at raising funds for the organization but also to educate the public on stroke symptoms.

Those can be remembered through the acronym, F.A.S.T., which stands for:

  • Face drooping
  • Arms: loss of motion, paralysis, numbness
  • Speech: slurred, trouble speaking clearly

If you experience any of the three, then the ‘T’ applies: time to call 911.

The Heart and Stroke Foundation defines a stroke as when blood stops flowing to any part of the brain, damaging brain cells.

Prompt treatment results in better recovery and minimizes the chance of disability, Leshchyshyn said.

She advises people to call for help even if they are unsure whether what they’re experiencing is in fact, a stroke.

Preventative measures include: a healthy diet, staying active, maintaining a healthy weight, quitting smoking, moderating alcohol consumption, controlling diabetes and monitoring blood pressure and cholesterol.