Dubai children to become FAST Heroes as part of a global stroke awareness initiative

Campaign aims to educate 2,500 children about the signs of stroke and raise awareness within UAE families 

Dubai: Primary schools throughout Dubai are being invited to join the ground-breaking educational campaign, FAST Heroes, as part of its global mission to recruit a million children to help save their grandparents from strokes.  FAST Heroes is supported and endorsed by the World Stroke Organization.

The FAST Heroes campaign will focus on UAE children between the ages of five and nine years of age as the catalyst to help improve recognition of the signs of stroke, particularly the need for speedy action. FAST Heroes is leveraging children’s natural enthusiasm for learning and sharing, encouraging them to spread knowledge across generations to the rest of their family, particularly their grandparents. To date, only 29% of UAE parents believe their children understand what a stroke is, with less than 20% saying that their children are able to recognize the signs of a stroke according to a recent YouGov survey commissioned by Medtronic.

Jan Van Der Merwe, Co-founder of the FAST Heroes campaign, said: “Promoting health education from an early stage benefits not only the children themselves, but also their families and the wider community. There are many ways to participate and get involved, so it’s a fantastic opportunity for UAE families to be a part of something bigger and raise awareness for an important cause.”

“With stroke being one of the leading causes of disability in the UAE, the FAST Heroes campaign is an exceptional way to engage with the local community through the unique power of children,” said Majid Kaddoumi, President, Medtronic Central & Eastern Europe, Middle East & Africa. “Medtronic is excited to be a part of this meaningful initiative which reflects our commitment to fighting against stroke, not only through our advanced medical technologies and services, but also through educating families and raising awareness around the signs of stroke so that we can make a real difference, alleviate pain, restore health, and ultimately extend life”.

Stroke is the second leading cause of death worldwide, as well as the second leading cause of disability in the UAE, with approximately 8,000 to 10,000 patients suffering a stroke per year. Survey results also showed that around 1 in 4 UAE respondents have lost a parent or grandparent to stroke.

People who have a stroke need access to high quality acute care as quickly as possible, so increasing awareness of the key symptoms is vital. Research has shown that people often do not recognize the key signs of a stroke and do not seek emergency medical care straight away.

Dr. Suhail Alrukn, President of MENA Stroke Organization & the President of Emirates Neurology Society, said: “Time is vital when it comes to stroke and is crucial to minimizing the effects and, of course, saving lives. The longer it takes a person to get medical assistance, the more serious the damage will be, so it is instrumental that communities within the UAE are educated and aware about the signs of stroke,” he continued. “I believe that channeling the power of knowledge through children to teach their families will have a positive impact in preventing cases of stroke complications in the UAE.”

The FAST Heroes campaign will be piloted in the UAE before it is expanded across the region. Around 2,500 children will be empowered with knowledge that could help save the lives of those that suffer a stroke through weekly simulation and learning skills to be able to stay calm and call an ambulance in case of any emergency. 

Augusto Di Pietro at Lions Club International Middle East said: “We are very excited to be working alongside schools in the UAE and engaging with local communities to improve public understanding of stroke. With the help of teachers, our Lions/LEO Club volunteers will be completing the five-week virtual educational modules together with UAE primary school students. We are looking forward to getting the children involved and helping them become Stroke heroes by teaching them the signs of stroke and what steps to take in an emergency.  In doing so, we hope to spread the message to parents and grandparents so that everyone is aware about FAST.”

UAE schools are being invited to take part in the five weeks educational program by reaching out to the Lions and the LEO’s of the UAE. Parents are also encouraged to sign up with their children, complete the eBooks at home and share the campaign with others online and offline, helping drive awareness, engagement and involvement. To find out more about the campaign, parents can visit fastheroes.com. 

About Medtronic

Medtronic plc (www.medtronic.com), headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, is among the world's largest medical technology, services and solutions companies - alleviating pain, restoring health and extending life for millions of people around the world. Medtronic employs more than 90,000 people worldwide, serving physicians, hospitals and patients in approximately 150 countries. The company is focused on collaborating with stakeholders around the world to take healthcare Further, Together.

About Lions Club International

Lions Clubs International (www.lionsclubs.org) is the biggest service organization in the world, established in 1917, with 48,000 Lions Clubs and more than 1.4 million members (including the young LEOs) in 214 countries around the world. The objective of each Lion and/or LEO member within their Clubs is to join together in order to give valuable time and effort to improve their communities, and the world. It allows these volunteers to serve their communities, meet humanitarian needs, encourage peace and promote international understanding. Our motto WE SERVE.

© Press Release 2021