NNUH ‘Makes May Purple’ by hosting stroke awareness event

The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH) together with Norfolk Community Health and Care (NCHC), the Stroke Association and Different Strokes were delighted to hold an event to help raise awareness of the support available for people who have been affected by stroke and Transient Ischaemic Attack (TIA).

The event, which was held on Wednesday 23rd May at the hospital, also saw NNUH colleagues raising funds for the N&N Hospitals Charity and The Stroke Association through a sponsored bike ride and bake sale.

NNUH & NCHC teams were on hand to share information about stroke services at the hospital and in the community. They also publicised what research is currently taking place and how people can get involved. The Stroke Association and Different Strokes also spoke with members of the public about how they can support patients.

Dr Paddy Sutton, Service Director for Stroke at NNUH, said: “As a trust, we are committed to provide the best possible care for our patients who have been affected by stroke. The event today was a fantastic opportunity to highlight our stroke services at NNUH and to help promote the work of the Stroke Association, who support patients after they have had a stroke and once they have been discharged from hospital.”

NNUH is one of the top ten largest combined stroke units in England. Care ranges from emergency assessment and treatments in the first few hours after stroke, including clot-busting thrombolysis therapy, and surgery which can prevent TIAs leading to strokes in the future. Rehabilitation also starts as early as possible including physiotherapy, occupational, speech therapy and psychology and continues in the community after patients are discharged from hospital.

Make May Purple for stroke is the Stroke Association’s annual stroke awareness month which takes place every May.

Neil Chapman, Support Manager at the Stroke Association, said: “In the UK stroke is the leading cause of disability and there are 1.2 million people living with the physical and emotional after effects. Every year we help tens of thousands of stroke survivors and their families through our range of services and free helpline, but we can only do this through the generosity of events like the one at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital. We’re incredibly grateful to the team for their support, the money raised will go a long way in helping local stroke survivors and their loved ones.”

To find out more about the work of the Stroke Association and how you can Make May Purple visit www.stroke.org.uk/makemaypurple  

If you’d like to support the N&N Hospitals Charity, please contact fundraising@nnuh.nhs.uk  

Notes to editor

•       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 more than 100,000 strokes in the UK each year; that is around one stroke every five minutes. There are over 1.2 million people in the UK living with the effects of stroke.

•       Stroke Association is a charity. We believe in life after stroke and together we can conquer 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