CentraCare-St. Cloud Hospital Is Doing Its Part During Stroke Awareness Month

(KNSI) – CentraCare – St. Cloud Hospital is lit up purple in May during Stroke Awareness Month and is hosting two community events.

Hospital officials prompt access to care is critical to minimizing permanent damage and preventing death during a Stroke. People need to recognize the signs such as loss of balance, changes in eyesight, facial weakness, arm weakness, and speech difficulty.

For area residents that suffer a stroke, St. Cloud Hospital is one of the few to perform a revolutionary and life-saving procedure called a thrombectomy, a surgery to remove a blood clot from a blood vessel, artery, or vein, which can greatly improve the survival rate for people suffering a severe stroke.

St. Cloud Hospital is certified as a Comprehensive Stroke Center, meaning they are credited with providing the highest level of treatment and care available for stroke patients.

CentraCare is holding a pair of local events in recognition of Stroke Awareness Month.

The first is May 17th at the Whitney Senior Center called Let’s Talk About Stroke: Risk Factors, Your Lifestyle and Q&A. CentraCare Neurosciences Stroke Specialist Brittney Huisinga will begin presenting at 9:30 a.m. To RSVP, call 320-255-5791.

For the second event on May 20th, the Neurosciences Stroke Center is joining the Minnesota Stroke Association’s Strides for Stroke at 10:00
a.m. on the CentraCare Plaza in St. Cloud. The public can register for
the walk by clicking here.

To reduce your risk of stroke, experts say to regulate your numbers for blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes. They also say to follow a healthy diet and exercise routine.

CentraCare – St. Cloud Hospital treats over 1,000 patients for a potential stroke each year. Annually, more than 12,000 Minnesotans are hospitalized for a stroke. Stroke is a leading cause of disability in the state, impacting over 100,000 individuals.

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