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New Hope For Stroke Victims

Having a stroke is a terrifying experience. Getting immediate treatment is crucial to helping the victim maintain a high quality of living afterwards. Fortunately, residents in the valley now have new hope in the event of a stroke: Barrow Neurological Institute’s Stroke Van. This is an ambulance decked out with equipment and staff specifically selected and trained to help patients who are having strokes.

Not only is the Van equipped with clot busting medications, CAT scan capabilities, and specially trained staff, but it also has a camera that enables a stroke doctor from the Barrow Neurological Institute at St. Joe’s, enabling the doctor assess the situation and give advice while needed.

Arizona resident Michael Smith’s learned first hand the importance of the Stroke Van. Smith realized that he was having a stroke as he unsuccessfully attempted to spread peanut butter on an English muffin. The peanut butter was going on his own hand than on the muffin. When he tried to put down his knife and couldn’t, he realized he was having a stroke.


Smith’s wife dialed 911. Along with the regular ambulance, the Stroke Van arrived at his house within minutes. Richard Hernandez, one of the nurses who treated Smith, noticed that Smith could not move anything on his left side. This helped the Stroke Van team to identify that Smith’s stroke was ischemic, meaning that a blood clot was impeding blood flow to his brain. Fortunately, the team was able to hook Smith up to an IV to deliver special, clot busting medicine on the way to the hospital. The team was thrilled when Smith was able to move his own left arm to scratch his head before they reached the hospital.

Breaking up the clot that blocked blood flow to the brain was what minimized brain damage in Smith’s situation. The longer the blood is kept from the brain, the more likely it is that the victim will sustain permanent brain damage. This is why the Stroke Van is such a valuable tool.

If you think someone around you may be having a stroke, remember the acronym FAST:

F: “Face drooping” – the victim can only smile with one side of the face.

A: “Arm weakness” – the person is not able to move both arms

S: “Speech difficulty” – the person has difficulty speaking.

T: “Time to call 911”

The word “fast” is part of the message. The faster the person can get help, the less brain damage the person will likely have.