Rochelle Turner suffered a massive stroke, and now her family is trying to raise awareness about stroke symptoms and prevention. (Courtesy of Faith Brown)
Burns Lake woman suffers stroke

TYH: Burns Lake woman suffers stroke, family tries to raise awareness

Nov 19, 2019 | 4:48 PM

Faith Brown is raising awareness about strokes and stroke prevention after her sister Rochelle Turner from Burns Lake suffered from a stroke earlier this year.

According to Faith her sister had been visiting the doctor quite frequently claiming stroke-related symptoms. However, Faith says Rochelle was quickly assessed each time and given the okay to leave. From April until June of 2019 Rochelle was having Transient Ischemic Attacks, also known as TIA’s or mini-strokes.

“She would walk into the ER and she would tell them, I think I’m having a stroke,” said Faith Brown.

And on June 30th Rochelle had a massive stroke, she was found on the floor of her home by her sons who immediately called 911.

Courtesy of Faith Brown

Rochelle suffered from a Middle Cerebral Artery Stroke on the left side of her brain, doctors warned the family that Rochelle might not make it. To their surprise, she beat the odds, Rochelle managed to survive the stroke and is now recovering; re-learning how to talk and walk her family says she has made quite the progress in just a few months.

“Even her doctor who she sees on a regular basis, is completely blown away that she even survived this,” said Faith.

We spoke with Yaser Ahmed, the Regional Stroke Lead from Northern Health and he told us that acting FAST when it comes to strokes is important. FAST is also an acronym made to help people determine if someone is having a stroke.

Rochelle suffered from a Middle Cerebral Artery Stroke on the left side of her brain. (Courtesy of Faith Brown)

F-is for Face, a droopy face can be a sign of stroke, A-is for Arms, can the person you suspect lift their arms? S-is for Speech, is the person’s speech slurred? And T-is for Time, don’t waste time, dial 911 if you suspect someone might be having a stroke.

“Stroke is one of the leading causes of death in North America. So it is very important to recognize the early signs and act fast,” -Yaser Ahmed.

Ahmed mentions that you should get yourself to the hospital even if the symptoms are transient. Faith wants the public to remember to “push for your own health and make sure that you are seen properly,” if you feel like something is wrong, it might be worth checking.