South Carolina

My husband, Paul Berger, suffered a stroke over 25 years ago at the age of 36, when he was at the gym exercising.  He had the worst headache ever, and was suffering from extreme dizziness. He asked the attendant at the desk for an aspirin.  Fortunately, they called an ambulance.  If he had been at home, I would not have recognized the symptoms, and probably would have killed him by giving him a dose of aspirin.  He was experiencing a ruptured aneurysm, blood gushing out of a hole in a large blood vessel leading to his brain.  The aspirin would have hastened the bleeding.

Stroke is the 4^th leading cause of death, and a leading cause of disability among adults.  According to the American Stroke Association, about 795,000 Americans suffer a new or recurrent stroke each year, stroke kills more than 128,000 people a year, and more than $38 billion is spent each year on stroke-related medical costs and disability.

Strokes occur among people of all ages, and among otherwise healthy-looking women and men.  Eighty percent of strokes are caused by clots in blood vessels in the brain blocking the flow of oxygen and nutrients to brain cells; 20 percent are caused by ruptured vessels killing brain cells with a flood of lethal blood.

When Paul had his stroke, even state-of-the-art care couldn’t locate the rupture and while we waited a week in the hospital to repeat the tests, he had a second bleeding episode, leaving him severely disabled.  Today, thanks to advances in imaging and interventional neuroradiology, there’s a much better track record in finding and treating ruptured aneurysms.

For the 80 percent suffering clot-induced strokes, getting to the hospital immediately will allow time to diagnose and begin treatment using clot-busting drugs.  Unfortunately, there’s a small window of time for this treatment, about 3 to 4 hours from the first sign of stroke.  The sooner the person having the stroke gets to the hospital, the sooner appropriate treatment can begin.

Since the person suffering the stroke often cannot act to call 9-1-1, everyone should learn the warning signs, and to act quickly.  It is much better to call an ambulance immediately than to wait to see if the symptoms go away.  This means that spouses, co-workers, friends, children and grandchildren need to learn the signs and how to act immediately, even if the person having the stroke seems resistant.

An easy way to remember the symptoms of stroke is “F.A.S.T.” for:

• F:  Face Drooping.  Does one side of the face droop or is it numb? Ask the person to smile.
• A:  Arm Weakness.  Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
• S:  Speech Difficulty.  Is speech slurred, are they unable to speak, or are they hard to understand?  Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence, like “the sky is blue.”  Is the sentence repeated correctly?
• T:  Time to call 9-1-1. If the person shows any of these symptoms, even if the symptoms go away, call 9-1-1 and get them to the hospital immediately.

The American Stroke Association, part of the American Heart Association, and the National Stroke Association have many helpful tools for educating yourself and others about stroke.  Learn about it today.  If it could happen to my otherwise healthy husband, then it could happen to you, or to your loved ones.

Ask Your Representative to Support Stroke Awareness Today!

**Blog content provided by You’re the Cure Virigina member, Stephanie Mensh.**

Tragically, Emerson Rose is no longer with us, but she is still having a significant impact on the lives of babies born in our state. Her parents, Jason and Susan Smith of Clemson, SC, are working closely with You're the Cure to pass a bill that will help protect other infants born with Congenital Heart Defects (CHDs).

S.341, the Emerson Rose Act, won the unanimous approval of the SC Senate and is about to come before members of the House for a vote. It will make simple, noninvasive screening for pulse oximetry standard in SC birthing facilities, so no baby goes home without being checked for this life-threatening condition.

Make sure your House Representative knows you want this bill passed!

CHDs are the most common birth defect in the United States and the leading killer of infants born with birth defects. Babies born with CHD can appear healthy and normal in the newborn nursery. Since not all hospitals do pulse oximetry screening, these babies can be sent home with their families before the CHD is suspected. Sadly, more than 1,400 children with CHD do not live to celebrate their first birthday.

Click here to send your customizable letter for Emerson Rose and SC's future babies.

Cardiac arrest can happen anywhere….at the mall, at the park, at a local sporting event or even in the halls of a local school.  Having a bystander around that knows CPR can make all the difference for a person who’s heart stops suddenly.

S 160, a bill to train students in CPR before they graduate, is now coming before the Full Senate for a vote. It's made good progress through committees and we must make sure it keeps moving forward.

S 160 would allow for a whole new class of young citizens in South Carolina will learn CPR, a valuable skill – a skill they will be able to carry with them for a lifetime.

Please take action quickly: Tell your legislators you want them to support S 160.

When someone's heart stops beating, every second is precious. But when an individual on the scene performs CPR before paramedics arrive, the victim is two to three times more likely to survive. Unfortunately, the majority of those who suffer sudden cardiac arrest don't get this simple, lifesaving treatment, because 70% of Americans don't know how to perform CPR. It's heartbreaking, but it's also something we can fix.

Many schools across the country are implementing CPR training in schools at no cost or as little as $1/student. Effective Hands-Only CPR can be taught in the time it takes to watch a TV sitcom. That's an investment well worth it to help prepare citizens to be able to save a life.

Let your legislators know that you support training out students in CPR today.

Throughout the summer months, Members of Congress return to their home states for in-district work periods, or recesses, which present an important opportunity for advocates to talk with their Representative and Senators about pressing heart disease and stroke policy issues.  Here are some tips for getting the most out of the summer recesses…

1)      Make a note of when the recesses are scheduled:

2)      Contact the American Heart Association Advocacy staff in your state to let them know you’re interested in helping during the summer recesses.  They will be able to provide you with information on the hot heart and stroke issues we’re urging Congress to act on and recommend ways to connect with your legislators.      

3)      Visit your legislators’ website to sign-up for their e-newsletter and follow them on Facebook and Twitter.  These are great ways to know about the events your Members of Congress will be attending or hosting during the various recess periods.  From town hall meetings, to summer office hours, to parades they’ll be marching in, there are many opportunities to chat with your lawmakers about their support for key heart and stroke issues. 

Have you visited with your Members of Congress during recess periods in the past?  Tell us about it in the comments below!

We want to invite you to ignite a conversation about stroke to help educate those around you as we enter into American Stroke Month.  Stroke is the No. 4 cause of death and a leading cause of long-term preventable disability in the United State, yet Americans don’t consider stroke to be a major health concern.

What is a stroke? A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients in the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts.  When this occurs, part of the brain can no longer get the blood and oxygen it needs, so that portion of the brain dies.

Thankfully there are some tools that can be used to help recognize stroke symptoms early to help decrease the amount of damage in the brain.  One of these tools that the American Heart Association promotes is the acronym F.A.S.T.

F.A.S.T is an acronym used for recognizing and responding to the sudden warning signs of stroke.  The letters stand for:

• Face Dropping – Ask the person to smile.  Does one side of the face droop or is it numb?
• Arm Weakness– Ask the person to raise both arms. Is one arm weak or numb? Does one arm drift downward?
• Speech Difficulty– Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence, like “the sky is blue.” Is the sentence repeated correctly? Are they unable to speak, or are they hard to understand?
• Time to call 9-1-1– If the person shows any of these symptoms, even if the symptoms go away, call 9-1-1 and get them to the hospital immediately.

To learn more about stroke, the effects of stroke, and how to spread the word about stroke click here.

Do you have a personal story about stroke?  If so, we would love to hear it! Click here and share your story today.

Did you know about F.A.S.T?  Have you thought of ways to share with your friends and family?  If so, tell us about it in the comments section!

Every single day, all over the country, lives are saved and improved because of you. Thanks to your commitment, talent, and passion as a volunteer, Americans are living healthier and lowering their chances of heart disease and stroke.

In honor of National Volunteer Week, we'd like to take a moment to say thank you for the difference you make in so many lives! Please click on the link below and you'll see why!

From the bottom of our hearts--we want to Thank You for all you do!

Just in time for the cherry blossoms blooming in DC, more than 300 American Heart Association and American Stroke Association advocates from across the county descended upon our nation's capitol, eager to request the restoration of federal funding to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and support for the Million Hearts Campaign.

The American Heart Association relies on research funded by the NIH. With the recent sequester slashing the NIH budget by nearly $1.5 billion, about 2,300 research grants will go unfunded, causing a reduction in both the job market and economic activity. A typical NIH grant supports about seven full-time or part-time jobs, most of them high-tech. Every dollar that the NIH distributes through grants returns more than $2 in goods and services annually to the community.

Armed with the names of 6,000 advocates who signed the "Many Hearts, One Voice for Medical Research" petition, this group of volunteers, survivors, researchers, and healthcare professionals joined forces with thousands of advocates, representing over 200 patient groups and research institutions. Together, they attended the Rally for Medical Research on Monday to urge Congress to make research funding a national priority.

The following day, advocates met with their Senators and Congressmen to share their own personal stories, driving home the need for medical research funding.

Advocates attending voiced their passion for the effort, many expressing how impactful it was to be able to deliver these important requests personally to their legislators and their staff members.

You’re the Cure and the S.C. Tobacco-Free Collaborative have been working painstakingly towards a smoke-free South Carolina for some years – one community at a time.  Once 50% of the state’s population has opted for smoke-free air, we can pursue a comprehensive statewide law, so every new community that comes on board is a big deal. 

We’re getting closer!  Lancaster County was the 50^th municipality to go smoke free on Nov. 26, 2012.  Their law will be implemented in March of 2013.  And Goose Creek City Council (pictured) just voted 4-3 to adopt a comprehensive smoke-free ordinance.  The ordinance will take effect on July 1, 2013.  Goose Creek’s passage means that 12 of the top 13 cities in SC will be smoke-free, with N. Charleston still holding out. 

The population covered when Goose Creek comes on line in July will be about 39% (nearly 1.8 million people). 

There is also news out of the City of Charleston.  The Charleston City Council approved a final reading to adopt a smoke-free medical district ordinance that would require certain streets and sidewalks around healthcare facilities to be smoke-free.  The policy will take effect on March 1, 2013.  

If you are living in one of the communities that has recognized the importance of protecting citizen’s from tobacco smoke, please let your lawmakers know you appreciate it.

If you are NOT living in a smoke-free community, you should tell your local lawmakers that this is important to you and the health of the residents in your community.  Prime the pump! Push the issue. We can’t say it often enough until they have heard the message and made the necessary changes to save lives.

In an effort to increase physical activity and prevent obesity, the American Heart Association (AHA) and Eat Smart Move More are talking about possible upcoming legislation in South Carolina that will remove barriers and clarify liability language so schools can offer their facilities, such as playgrounds and gyms, to non-governmental entities for use.

AHA’s goal nationally is to increase the number of states that clarify liability rules regarding the use of school-owned recreational facilities by other government and non-governmental entities for the purpose of physical activity by allowing the user to assume liability for any property damage or injury, as well as providing that the school not be held liable.

Liability concerns present a significant and valid roadblock to schools who could otherwise partner with entities and organizations to support community activities that promote physical activity.  In South Carolina, the legislation would insulate schools from liability if an accident or injury were to occur while being used by outside groups, and thus open the door for myriad opportunities to make the space available for community use.

The Joint Citizens and Legislative Committee on Children in South Carolina, chaired by Senator Mike Fair of Greenville, has expressed interest in learning more about shared use and could possibly take the issue on as an endorsed legislative item in 2013. For more information about this committee please visit http://www.sccommitteeonchildren.org/.