Free food, chair yoga at stroke awareness program in Arlington Heights
It's critical to know the signs of a stroke and act fast. Northwest Community Healthcare is presenting a free community event to educate the public about the warning signs of a stroke, but more importantly, how to prevent stroke. The event is from 5 to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 23, in the Northwest Community Hospital Auditorium, 800 W. Central Road, Arlington Heights.
The evening will kick off with a health fair, food and giveaways from 5 to 5:30 p.m. Four Northwest Community Healthcare stroke specialists and two stroke survivors will follow, giving educational presentations. Join Northwest Community Healthcare Neurologist Dr. Saju Abraham; Director of Stroke and Neurointervention Dr. Ali Shaibani; Director of the Northwest Community Healthcare Rehabilitation Care Unit Dr. Rahul Sharma; and Northwest Community Healthcare Neurosurgeon Dr. Ryan Zengou, who will detail the care, treatments and advanced technologies used to treat stroke patients at Northwest Community Healthcare.
Also included in the presentations are two recovering stroke patients; a 36-year-old woman and a 71-year-old man, who will share their stories and experiences with treatment and recovery. The importance of exercise to prevent stroke will be discussed and participants will get an opportunity to learn chair yoga from a health care professional.
New guidelines from the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association suggest stroke patients may now benefit from treatment up to 24 hours after the onset of symptoms, greatly extending the time from the previous six-hour window. Northwest Community Hospital is one of only a few hospitals in Illinois to implement the new protocol based on these guidelines, allowing for lifesaving clot removal by an endovascular procedure or mechanical thrombectomy to minimize and prevent brain damage from stroke.
Seating for the event is limited and preregistration is required. Register online at nch.org/strokeevent or call Health Connection at (847) 618-4968.
Northwest Community Hospital is one of approximately 100 hospitals in the country to be certified as a Comprehensive Stroke Center by The Joint Commission. Certification indicates that an institution provides highly specialized stroke care, including advanced imaging capabilities and round-the-clock patient access to specialized stroke treatments.
Additionally, Northwest Community Hospital is the only hospital in Illinois to receive the America's 100 Best Hospitals Award for Stroke Care and all three Healthgrades Neurosciences Excellence Awards in 2018.
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