Blokes and Strokes campaign targets all Aussies
To recognise a stroke think FAST. Face. Arms. Speech and Time. This is the acronym chosen by Stroke Australia in a new public awareness campaign aimed at helping Aussie blokes become more attuned to the risks of stroke and how to recognise if they – or a mate – are in the throes of having one.
“Is your face drooping?” says Nine Network television presenter, Karl Stefanovic in a promotional video posted on the Stroke Foundation’s Bloke Beside You website.
“A is for arms, can you lift them?” “S is for Speech, are you slurring? T is for Time, it’s Time to call the ambulance.”
According to the Stroke Foundation, 45% of Aussie blokes don’t know what the common signs of a stroke might look like and may not call for help quickly enough.
The Bloke Beside You campaign calls on all Australians to share the risk factors and signs of a stroke with the men in their life, pointing out that this could significantly impact the numbers who survive strokes and reduce the chance of permanent disability.
“If more men know that having high blood pressure and high cholesterol increases their risk of stroke, they may be encouraged to make lifestyle changes to reduce that risk,” says Foundation Australia.
The Bloke Beside You was launched this month during Men’s Health Week (12-18 June, 2023) with a set of ambassador videos featuring familiar Aussie faces from sport, entertainment, politics and media including AFL star Jack Lever, Socceroo Craig Goodwin, horse trainer Gai Waterhouse, Strictly Ballroom’s Paul Mercurio, Supercars driver Jack Perkins and Melbourne Lord Mayor Sally Capp.
“Whatever we can do to get more blokes to recognise stroke, the better. It’s confronting to realise that almost half of the population is unaware of what a stroke looks like, and therefore may not know how critical it is to call an ambulance,” said Stroke Foundation CEO Dr Lisa Murphy.
“Anyone of any age, at any time can be impacted by stroke. It’s not an elderly person’s disease.”