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PIKEVILLE, Ky. — In conjunction with Stroke Awareness Month, Pikeville Medical Center hosted Stroke Awareness Day today at the East Kentucky Expo Center Plaza.
“Stroke is an emergency, it’s a brain attack,” said Stroke Program Director Dr. Naveed Ahmed with Pikeville Medical Center. “People always talk about heart attack but still now we’re struggling with recognition of stroke early. Now we have treatment that can be offered to patients if they come within three hours or four and a half hours.”
During today’s event, participants were able to receive free blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose, A1C and body mass index screenings.
“About 800,000 people on average have strokes in the United States,” added Dr. Ahmed. “Every four seconds there’s a stroke that’s happening. Every four minutes there’s a person dying because of a stroke. Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death but it’s the number one cause of disability. If there’s any disease that needs to be taken care of it’s stroke, stroke, stroke.”
Organizers say today’s event focused on awareness of the disease’s signs and symptoms, and also awareness about stroke support groups offered at PMC. 
“Stroke has touched everyone’s life,” said Trauma Director and Stroke Coordinator Sandy Tackett with Pikeville Medical Center. “Somewhere there’s a family, friend, neighbor, that’s had a stroke. It can be devastating to them. Unless you’ve walked in their shoes, you really don’t know what it’s like.”
Participants were able to win door prizes, enjoy music and free lunch.
