Bosses at Islington Council and NHS Islington are marking Stroke Awareness Day (12 May 2009) by donning pedometers to raise awareness of the link between exercise and health.
Stroke is a debilitating condition that kills 67,000 men and women every year in the UK and the single largest cause of adult disability including paralysis, cognitive impairment, blindness and speech problems.
But regular exercise as part of a healthy lifestyle can reduce your risk of stroke.
Six directors took up the activity challenge which saw them attach the counters to their clothing for a day to see how far they walked.
Sean McLaughlin, Corporate Director of Islington Council's Health and Adult Social Care Division said:
"The Council is joining forces with NHS Islington and the Stroke Association to make people more aware of this illness which has affected many Islington families.
"Stopping smoking, eating healthily and exercising can greatly improve everyone's chances of avoiding a stroke and reduces the number of people left with permanent injury."
Often thought of as only affecting old people, surprisingly stroke affects 10,000 people under retirement age and is the third biggest cause of premature death in the UK.
ENDS
Notes to editor:
Islington Council is supporting the Department of Health's national campaign about recognising the signs of stroke so people know when to call 999.
The campaign asks people to to act FAST - the handy acronym spelling out the vital signs of stroke:
*F = Face. Have the muscles dropped, does it feel hot? Is there a headache?
*A = Arms. Can the patient lift them and hold them up?
*S = Speech. Is it slurred?
*T = Time to call 999 straightaway - if the answer to these is 'Yes'.
Stroke Awareness Day - a Europe-wide initiative - is on Tuesday 12 May. Stroke awareness activities will be taking place simultaneously in member countries all over Europe.
For more information go to: www.stroke.org and Stroke Alliance for Europe (SAFE)
ENDS
Page Last Updated: 12 June 2009