Strokes are “largely preventable” with the right support and lifestyle choices, the Minister of Health reminded residents today.

Kim Wilson also said that last year, 219 people received stroke diagnoses at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital’s emergency department.

“It is a sombre reminder that stroke doesn’t wait, it can strike anyone — your friend, your parent or your colleague — without warning,” she added.

Ms Wilson was at KEMH this morning when the Bermuda Hospitals Board marked World Stroke Day by offering awareness sessions and free screenings.

“Know your numbers, understand your risk, make informed choices because when it comes to stroke, prevention isn’t just possible, it’s probable,” the minister said.

She added that “stroke doesn’t just happen” but is instead brought on by risk factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking or diet.

Noting that the BHB provided the island’s primary stroke centre, Ms Wilson highlighted that with its dedicated staff, the board is “making great strides” in improving treatment for patients and providing awareness about the condition, which constitutes a medical emergency.

R. Scott Pearman, the chief executive and president of the BHB, said that the event today represented “hope and progress”.

Mr Pearman recalled that before 2020, stroke care on the island “was very different” as many patients would be admitted to hospital for ten to 15 days and very few received life-saving treatment.

The situation changed in 2021 when the BHB teamed up with Johns Hopkins Medicine International, a trans-Atlantic partnership that he said brought “world-class medical expertise” into the emergency medical phase of stroke care on the island.

He said that the collaboration ensured everyone in Bermuda was able to benefit from the best possible responses.

Stroke patients are staying in hospital for a median of three days, down from the ten to 15 days recorded prior to 2020, Mr Pearman noted.

Over the past five years, nearly 100 patients have received clot-busting treatment, giving many a far better chance of recovery.

The aspiration pneumonia rate dropped from 50 per cent to 2.9 per cent since 2020 and Mr Pearman noted that the treatment represents “a community best served”.

Aspiration pneumonia is considered a serious lung infection that can occur after a stroke.

Mr Pearman said: “These numbers tell human stories, each one represents someone’s parent, child or loved one.

“A person who was given the best possible chance of recovery surrounded by family and care right here in Bermuda.”

He hailed the efforts of the BHB staff and thanked the Ministry of Health for providing assistance to the hospital in support of stroke care and other treatment regimens.