June Stroke Awareness Reset: Know the Signs, Act Fast, Find Support

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June invites us all to renew our commitment to stroke prevention by recognizing the crucial B.E. F.A.S.T. stroke signs and acting fast when seconds count. In this newsletter, you will find essential steps to protect brain health, resources for Oregon stroke support, and opportunities to connect with stroke support groups that strengthen our community. Together, we can raise awareness, support recovery, and reduce stroke risk factors for every family, caregiver, and neighbor. Let’s dive into these vital insights and resources.

Spot a Stroke Fast: The B.E. F.A.S.T. Checklist

  • Balance: Sudden loss of balance

  • Eyes: Blurred vision

  • Face: Drooping face

  • Arms: Weakness in arms

  • Speech: Slurred speech

  • Time: Act fast and call emergency services

Being prepared to act quickly can save lives. Stay informed and share this checklist with others.

Prevention You Can Start Today

Reducing your stroke risk can begin with small lifestyle changes. Here are some steps you can take:

  • Maintain a healthy diet

  • Exercise regularly

  • Monitor blood pressure

  • Avoid smoking and excessive alcohol

These proactive choices can contribute to better brain health and reduce stroke occurrences. Encourage friends and family to join you in making healthier choices, and let’s improve our community’s well-being together.

What To Do In An Emergency

Knowing what to do during a stroke emergency can save lives. If you suspect a stroke:

  • Call 9-1-1 immediately

  • Avoid giving the person food or drink

  • Keep them comfortable and calm

Quick action is crucial; every second counts. The right response can be the key to recovery and long-term health.

Join us in strengthening community awareness and support for stroke survivors. Share this newsletter with your network and help us spread the word!

P.S. Every small step you take today can have a significant impact on stroke prevention and recovery. Take action now!

Become a STROKE CHAMPION for only $18 per month!

JOIN TODAY

Story Preview | A DRIVING FORCE – Alesha Goodman

by Jake Sheaffer

“I once threw a canister of my supplement powder at the wall and dented it. That’s something I can’t imagine ever doing before my stroke, but it’s just another part
of my recovery to work on.”

______________________________

On an early October weekend in 2019, Alesha Goodman and her longtime boyfriend Drew hiked over 50 miles of rugged desert landscape in the Ochoco National Forest in Central Oregon. They were on a nine-day hunting trip they’d been planning for months. While Drew streaked up the steep slopes of sagebrush and loose rock, Alesha tarried behind breathing heavily, fighting the searing pain radiating from the base of her skull. An active thirty-four-year-old who frequented local gyms, walked her dog daily, and hiked on weekends, Alesha never suspected the severe neck pain and nausea she’d had for the past week and a half were signs of an impending stroke. And not just one stroke, but two. Two potentially fatal strokes that would occur within an hour of each other the day after she returned from the Ochocos.

An only child, Alesha was close to her parents and her grandmother who lived on her parents’ property later in life. As a kid, she delivered newspapers in her Bend, OR neighborhood, and in her spare time, she wrote children’s books for fun and read voraciously, prompting close friends to refer to her as a “living encyclopedia of odd information.”

On the Monday morning after she got home, Alesha sat in traffic at a parkway off -ramp, still in discomfort from the neck pain and the nausea. She had new symptoms, too, dizziness and feeling faint. Regardless of the pain, she readied herself for work, but she had an uneasy feeling about her job.

Over the weekend, Alesha had received multiple text messages from her employer, a jewelry company in Central Oregon, about an issue with her company email and password, but with no cell reception, she couldn’t respond to her manager’s concerns. After searching through Alesha’s desk for her email password and not finding it, but instead finding an important legal document she’d already dealt with but had not yet disclosed to her boss, the company hired a specialist to get around the digital safeguards. That day, Alesha was let go from her position.

Purchase the Book to Learn More About Alesha’s Journey!