Taking Strides4Stroke into the community B Y
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Jan Flewelling’s passion for teaching is readily apparent when she speaks to community groups, health care professionals or students about stroke. Joan Censullo’s knack for numbers and statistics is evident when she discusses the devastating impact of stroke and the necessity of implementing a certified stroke program. Put the two women together, and you have a team so powerful, their efforts have become a key element of The Methodist Hospital System’s Taking Strides4Stroke: Community Awareness Campaign. When it comes to stroke, The Methodist Hospital System is fighting this killer on multiple fronts. In addition to treating acute stroke patients, offering the latest in cutting-edge research and technology, and providing neuro-rehabilitation and physical therapy options, Methodist is now taking stroke education into the community. “Stroke is highly preventable, but the key is catching the warning signs
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early enough,” said Flewelling, stroke outreach coordinator at the Eddy Scurlock Stroke Center at the Methodist Neurological Institute (NI). “People need to know the symptoms for stroke and the critical need to seek immediate medical attention.” Flewelling’s “stroke education road show,” as she likes to call her presentation, takes her to many different venues — Houston-area churches, fire stations, community hospitals, elementary schools, large corporate offices, as well as other organizations. “Most people having a stroke don’t know what’s happening to them, and onlookers and family members don’t know what is happening either. We’re working to change that on a patient level and on a broader population level as well,” Flewelling said. Stroke is the third leading cause of death and the number one cause of long-term disability in the United States. Every 45 seconds someone in the
Jan Flewelling brings stroke awareness to members of the Christ Faith Church.
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