Amy Jennings was just 32 when she had a haemorrhagic stroke in 2013 while she getting ready for the day ahead.
“I had headaches all morning and I felt like I was hungover. I called my husband just before losing consciousness and he recognised it was an emergency, so he called triple zero straight away.”
Amy’s stroke was caused by an arteriovenous malformation (AVM), often described as tangled blood vessels, and was quickly flown to Newcastle where she received surgery to remove the AVM.
She spent almost a year in several rehabilitation facilities learning how to walk and talk again.
“I could not speak at all, write, understand numbers or read at all. It was like I was in a foreign country where I didn’t know the language. Imagine that!”
Nine years later, Amy lives with aphasia, which is an impact of stroke that affects a person’s speech and communication, but it hasn’t taken away her voice. She is passionate about spreading awareness of stroke and hosts community talks in the Mid-North Coast of New South Wales.
She is urging Australians to know the signs of stroke regardless of their age.
“Stroke doesn’t just impact older Australians it can strike at any time and doesn’t discriminate. Don’t be complacent, because it can happen to you. My advice would be to learn the signs of stroke so you know what to do if you or someone around you has one.”
In the Federal electorate of Lyne, which covers parts of the Mid-North Coast, there are currently 2060 people living with stroke – just above the national average of 1922. It is a number Stroke Foundation is aiming to reduce through more awareness of the signs of stroke and the actions we can all take to reduce our risk of stroke.
Every year, Stroke Foundation surveys thousands of Australians on their awareness of the most common signs and risks of stroke, which are facial droop, the inability to lift both arms, and slurred speech.
The 2021 survey revealed some positive signs for the Lyne electorate, with 78 per cent being able to recall at least one of the key signs of stroke unprompted and the awareness of high cholesterol as a modifiable risk factor increased by 11 per cent on the previous survey. That puts Lyne’s stroke risk knowledge higher than New South Wales overall.
Stroke Foundation CEO Sharon McGowan has applauded the Lyne community, saying that any increase in awareness is a step closer to preventing stroke, knowing what to look for when a stroke happens and importantly, knowing that every stroke is a 000 call.
“We know the faster a stroke is recognised, the faster that person can receive specialist treatment which leads to a better chance of survival and a better recovery.”
Ms McGowan is urging all Australians to learn the life-saving F.A.S.T acronym and share it with their friends, family, and colleagues.
“The Stroke Foundation’s aim is for someone in every Australian home and workplace to learn the F.A.S.T acronym. This simple message highlights that the most common signs of stroke which are a drooping Face, inability to lift Arms, and slurred or confused Speech. The T stands for Time, reminding people time is critical. Every stroke is a medical emergency, every stroke is a 000 call”
