Recognising the signs of stroke

4 August 2021

  • Emily Hamilton launches Stroke Week (2 -8 August 2021) in Joondalup

Emily Hamilton, Member for Joondalup, has teamed up with Stroke Foundation and the Northern Suburbs Stroke Support Group (NSSSG) to help raise awareness of the importance of recognising the signs of stroke.

Stroke kills more women than breast cancer and more men than prostate cancer. It is the leading cause of disability in our community. 1 in 4 people will have a stroke in their lifetime, but 49% of Australians don’t know the signs of stroke.

Ms Hamilton is calling on residents to get involved to help ensure that the Joondalup community learns the F.A.S.T. (Face. Arms. Speech. Time.) signs and that if you see any of these signs to call triple zero (000) straight away.

When treating stroke, 'time is brain'. For every minute that treatment is delayed following a stroke, up to 1.9 million brain cells die. Treatment needs to be offered within the first few hours and preferably within the first 'Golden Hour'.

The culmination of Ms Hamilton’s awareness-raising is a community event on 31 August with speakers from Stroke Foundation and members of NSSSG in attendance bringing materials to share.

Places are limited so you will need to register to be sent an invitation. Attendance will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.

The specialised Stroke Unit at Joondalup Health Campus, delivered by the McGowan Government in 2019, cuts travel time by an hour each way for patients who would otherwise need to attend Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital or Fiona Stanley Hospital.

Further upgrades are underway at Joondalup Health Campus, including:

  • a new mental health building including 30 new acute mental health inpatient beds;
  • 12 Emergency Department bays;
  • 90 inpatient beds in a design to meet future demand;
  • six new critical care beds;
  • one new operating theatre;
  • one cardiac catheterisation laboratory;
  • one specialised urgent care clinic, to operate as a Behavioural Assessment Urgent Care;
  • increased parking bays; and
  • upgrades to associated services

Stroke Week runs from 2 – 8 of August.

Comments attributed to Emily Hamilton:

“Stroke Week is an opportunity for locals like you to get involved to help ensure that our community learns the F.A.S.T. (Face. Arms. Speech. Time.) signs.

“I’m proud that the McGowan Labor Government has delivered a Stroke Unit at the Joondalup Health Campus.”

Volunteer to help raise awareness of the signs of stroke.

Register for Emily Hamilton's stroke event.