Stroke Awareness Day in Parliament 2009
On 6 May 2009, The Stroke Association organised a Stroke Awareness Day in Parliament alongside Rotary International in Great Britain and Ireland.
The event was open to all Parliamentary staff and held to raise awareness of stroke and its close links with high blood pressure.
The focus of the day was a blood pressure testing station with three members of The Stroke Association testing 190 people throughout the day, including 35 Members of Parliament and Peers.
Liberal Democrat Shadow Secretary for Health, Norman Lamb having his blood pressure tested by Kate Taylor from The Stroke Association
The Stroke Association recipe cards also proved to be a huge success with its strawberry smoothies on hand to try out as an alternative to coffee and tea. A free raffle on the day attracted great interest, the prize being a three month free gym membership and a complementary therapy at Westminster gym.
We also had an information stand inside the Parliamentary complex, where we spoke to many more members of staff and received cross party backing for our blood pressure campaign.
Stroke is the third biggest killer in the UK and is the leading cause of adult disability. It is also a common misconception that stroke only happens to older people. Of the estimated 150,000 strokes that occur every year in the UK, a quarter of them will happen to people aged under 65.
High blood pressure is the biggest risk factor for stroke and 40% of strokes could be prevented if more people were aware of their high blood pressure and received treatment and/or made lifestyle changes.
There are a range of measures you can take to reduce your chances of high blood pressure and therefore your chances of having a stroke.
- If you smoke, give up
- If you drink alcohol, drink sensibly and do not exceed the recommended daily intake which is 2-3 units a day for women and 3-4 units a day for men
- Eat a balanced diet including plenty of fruit and vegetables and reduce the amount of salt you eat by avoiding processed foods
- Take more exercise and generally be more active during the day
- Get your blood pressure checked regularly by your GP or health professional
- Try to reduce your stress levels
The Stroke Association would like to thank all those who participated in the event including the Parliamentary occupational health and refreshment departments who helped out in organising the day.
