Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death and a major cause of disability in adults in the U.S. Stroke takes the lives of approximately 130,000 Americans each year and on average, one American dies from stroke every four minutes. These are startling statistics, but by acting FAST, at the first sign of stroke, you can greatly increase your chance of survival. A stroke occurs when a portion of the brain is deprived of oxygen or blood. That piece of the brain either dies or significantly malfunctions as a result. When it comes to stroke, every minute counts. The sooner you get treated, the better your chance of survival and recovery.

To educate the community on the importance of stroke prevention and proper treatment of stroke symptoms, Coliseum Medical Centers will offer a free seminar for the public at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 2 called 10 Must Know Facts about Stroke.  This seminar will be held at Coliseum Medical Centers, Building C, Suite 120 located at 330 Hospital Drive in Macon. Neurologist, Dr. Sourabh Lahoti, will cover the appropriate steps to take if you or someone close to you begins to show signs of a stroke as well as what can be done for the treatment and rehabilitation of a stroke.  Free blood pressure screenings and stroke risk assessments will be available to all attendees.

On Thursday, May 16 at 11:30 a.m., Coliseum Medical Centers will celebrate stoke survivors with a Stroke Stroll.  This event is designed to raise awareness for stroke prevention with a stroll around the hospital to celebrate the recovery of stroke survivors.  Survivors and their friends and family are invited to attend.  A free lunch will be served prior to the walk.  Employees of Coliseum Medical Centers will be there to cheer on the stroke survivors as they walk from the cafeteria to the first floor classroom of the hospital.

To register for either of the stroke month events, call (478) 746-4646 or visit the Classes & Events section of our website.

If someone is having a stroke, think and act F-A-S-T:

F-Face: Watch for facial drooping. Ask the person to smile and see if one side of the face droops.

A-Arms: Is their arm weak? Ask them to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?

S-Speech: Look out for slurred speech. Ask them to repeat a simple phrase, such as: "The sky is blue." Can he or she do it?

T-Time: If you notice any of these symptoms, call 9-1-1 immediately. Even if the symptoms go away, still call for help.

Coliseum Medical Centers and Coliseum Northside Hospital are proud of their success in the treatment of stroke. They have won several awards and accreditations for their treatment for stroke:

• Coliseum Medical Centers received an Award for Excellence by the Georgia Coverdell Acute Stroke Registry (GCASR) for having the highest proportion of eligible patients with a door-to-needle time less than 45 minutes among hospitals with similar bed size (301-499 beds).

• Coliseum Northside Hospital received an Award for Excellence for having shown the highest proportion of patients with a door-to-imaging time less than twenty-five minutes.

• Coliseum Medical Centers and Coliseum Northside Hospital have been named a Primary Stroke Center by The Joint Commission. 

• Coliseum Medical Centers has received the American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines-Stroke Gold Quality Achievement Award each year for the last nine years.

Dr. Lahoti said, “Coliseum Medical Centers and Coliseum Northside Hospital continue to strive for excellence in the acute treatment of stroke patients.  Our stroke team is dedicated to care that is timely and effective in order to save lives and improve outcomes.”