Baptist Health gives back with stroke screenings
Louisville, KY (Nov. 19, 2024) - More than 400 checked their blood pressure and nearly 1,600 learned about stroke risk through free screenings offered in May by Baptist Health as part of the year-long 100 Days of Service marking its centennial.
This was the fifth monthly event that Baptist Health’s hospitals hosted to mark its centennial year.
Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability in the United States. Kentucky has a higher death rate for stroke than the national average and has the 14th highest rate in the nation. Stroke is the sixth leading cause of death in Kentucky – the fourth leading cause in Indiana. Indiana has the 17th highest rate in the nation.
Spotting a stroke
Stroke symptoms include numbness or weakness of face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body; confusion, trouble speaking or understanding speech; trouble seeing in one or both eyes; trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination; and severe headache with no known cause.
Use the letters F.A.S.T. to spot a stroke:
- F = Face drooping. Is the person’s smile uneven?
- A = Arm weakness. If the person raises both arms, does one arm drift downward?
- S = Speech difficulty. Is speech slurred?
- T = Time to call 911. Note the time when any of the symptoms first appeared.
The original Kentucky Baptist Hospital in Louisville opened its doors in November 1924 following years of rallying community support and fundraising. Baptist Health has since expanded to nine hospitals and more than 2,700 licensed beds, reaching nearly 75 percent of Kentucky residents and a wide swath of southern Indiana.