Llanelli Rotary Stroke Awareness Day at St Elli

by Robert Lloyd

Llanelli Rotary Club held a very successful Stroke Awareness Day at the St Elli Shopping Centre, Llanelli.

The event was part of a national campaign by the Rotary organisation and the Stroke Association to help save lives.

Llanelli Rotary Club President Alan Owen said: “Checking your blood pressure on a regular basis is a very important first step to staying healthy.

“Llanelli Rotary Club members were delighted to be joined by trained professional doctors and nurses to give members of the public the chance to have their blood pressure checked during a break from shopping at the St Elli Centre.

“It was all part of a bid to raise awareness of the link between high blood pressure and strokes. In total, more than 200 people had their blood pressure checked. Obviously, anyone with high blood pressure was given the appropriate medical advice on the spot and told what steps to take next to combat the problem.”

More than 400 ‘Know Your Blood pressure’ events were held all around Great Britain and Ireland.

In addition to the blood pressure tests, Rotarians were assisted by teams of health professionals and the Stroke Association in providing information and advice on stroke related health issues.

It is estimated that around 16 million people in the UK and Ireland have high blood pressure and around a third are unaware of this.

At least 40% of strokes could be prevented each year if people checked their blood pressure and took steps to control it.

Last year, more than 30,000 people were checked at Know Your Blood Pressure events and 4,000 were found to have high blood pressure.

Rotary International Britain and Ireland (RIBI) President John Minhinick

said: “Over the years, these events have without doubt saved thousands of people from having a stroke. It may be quite worrying to discover you are at risk, but, once highlighted, it is possible to make changes which will reduce that risk.”

Blood pressure can be kept under control by eating a diet low in saturated fat, exercising regularly and cutting your salt intake.

Knowing your blood pressure is the vital first step.

Pictured above: Llanelli Rotary Club President Alan Owen, top left, with nurses and ‘customers’ at the ‘Know Your Blood Pressure’ event at the St Elli Shopping Centre.