Dear Editor:
As part of World Stroke Day on Oct. 29, the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association is asking New Jersey to sing a tune that could save lives.
The F.A.S.T. Song helps people learn the most common warning signs of stroke and what to do if one occurs:
If someone has a stroke near you, the F.A.S.T. song tells you what to do.
The letter “F,” it stands for face, if one half droops, no time to waste.
The letter “A” means an arm that’s weak, the letter “S” means it’s hard to speak.
The letter “T” means it’s time for 9-1-1, call right away so help will come.
Learn the song to show you care, and help end stoke each time you share.
Fewer than one in 10 people know what each F.A.S.T. letter means and one in three people can’t name any stroke signs, according to American Stroke Association studies.
To help the public get in tune with the stroke signs, the association has several styles of the song and complete lyrics available on StrokeAssociation.org/WorldStrokeDay. People are asked to sing their own version or share their favorite F.A.S.T. Song with family and friends on social media using #singFAST.
“Most of us can recall using song to memorize something in history class like U.S. states in alphabetical order or the preamble to the constitution. It’s fun and it really works. The same principle works for learning stroke signs,” said Rani Whitfield, M.D., American Stroke Association volunteer who is also known as Tha Hip Hop Doc.
Stroke is the world’s second-leading cause of death and No. 5 in the United States. It’s also a leading cause of long-term disability – though largely treatable.
“Recognizing a stroke right away and calling 911 is the key when it comes to stroke,” said Gary Belt, M.D., a stroke neurologist from Overlook Medical Center. “We have many effective therapies to treat stroke, but there is a short window for the patient to be evaluated at a hospital and receive treatment like a clot-busting drug or clot-removal device.”
The F.A.S.T. Song and World Stroke Day campaign are part of the American Stroke Association’s Together to End Stroke initiative nationally sponsored by Medtronic. Together to End Stroke is also locally supported in Northern NJ by Atlantic Health. Together to End Stroke teaches Americans that stroke is largely preventable, treatable and beatable.
To learn more, visit www.StrokeAssociation.org/WorldStrokeDay. To join and follow the conversation on social media, use #SingFAST.
American Stroke Association