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British
comedians unite for Action on Stroke Month
Watch our video where Tim Vine, Paul O’Grady, Mel Giedroyc and others
tell their favourite jokes to raise awareness of the Stroke
Association’s Not just a funny turn campaign.
Some of
Britain’s top comedic talents and famous faces have joined forces to
mark Action on Stroke Month by telling their favourite jokes in support
of the Stroke Association’s campaign about mini-stroke: Not just a
funny turn.
Tim Vine,
Paul O’Grady, Mel Giedroyc, Tim Piggot Smith, Honor Blackman and Stephen
K Amos are among the stars backing the campaign sharing their favourite
and silliest jokes and one-liners to highlight the cause.
The campaign
has been launched by the Stroke Association (supported by Legal &
General) to raise awareness of mini-stroke. Thousands of people put
themselves at risk of a stroke by dismissing the passing symptoms as
‘just
a funny turn’,
and are unaware that they are, in fact, having a mini-stroke.
Each year
around 46,000 people in the UK have a mini-stroke for the first time.
The symptoms are the same as a stroke except that they last no longer
than 24 hours. The risk of stroke in the first few days following a
mini-stroke is highest and it should be treated as a medical emergency.
Call 999 when the symptoms appear.
If
mini-stroke (also known as a TIA or transient ischaemic attack) is
treated in time, around 10,000 strokes could be prevented annually and
the NHS and care services could save more than £200m(i).
Watch our
video to check out the ‘funny-turns’ of some of the nation’s favourite
comedians.
The FAST
test can help identify the signs of a mini-stroke:
o
FACIAL
weakness: Can the person smile? Has their mouth or eye drooped?
o
ARM
weakness: Can the person raise both arms?
o
SPEECH
problems: Can they speak clearly and understand what you say?
o
TIME
to call 999
The symptoms
of a stroke or mini-stroke usually come on suddenly. Other symptoms,
sometimes associated with TIA, can include weakness or numbness on one
side of the body, loss of vision or blurred vision in one or both eyes,
memory loss, confusion or a sudden fall.
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A mini-stroke (also known as a TIA or transient ischaemic attack) is the
same as a stroke, except that the symptoms last for a short amount of
time and no longer than 24 hours. More information about TIAs can be
found at
http://www.stroke.org.uk/factsheet/transient-ischaemic-attack
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A stroke is
a brain attack which happens when the blood supply to the brain is cut
off, caused by a clot or bleeding in the brain. There are around 152,000
strokes in the UK every year and it is the leading cause of severe adult
disability. There are over 1.2 million people in the UK living with the
effects of stroke.
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Stroke
Association is a charity. We believe in life after stroke and we’re
leading a community of people to change the world for people affected by
stroke. We work directly with stroke survivors and their families and
carers, with health and social care professionals and with scientists
and researchers. We campaign to improve stroke care and support people
to make the best recovery they can. We fund research to develop new
treatments and ways of preventing stroke. The Stroke Helpline (0303 303
3100) provides information and support on stroke. More information can
be found at
www.stroke.org.uk
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