Event will celebrate the completion of Stroke Month, educate and recognize stroke survivors.
Cleveland, Ohio (May 16, 2012) – Clevelanders will learn the warning signs and realities of stroke at the American Heart Association’s second annual Power To End Stroke Luncheon at the Embassy Suites in Independence on Saturday, June 2nd from 11am – 3pm. May is Stroke Month and the event will celebrate the completion of stroke month activities in the Cleveland area.
Nationally known comedians, George Willborn and Alex Ortiz, will be in Cleveland to emcee the event and entertain while educating about stroke. The event will also feature a panel of guest speakers to discuss stroke prevention and how a stroke can financially impact a family.
Local stroke survivors will be recognized throughout the program in video messages. Three people will receive the American Stroke Association’s ‘You Are The Power’ award: Sister Alicia Alvarado from Akron, Ohio; William Forester from Bay Village, Ohio and Stephanie Tubbs Jones, posthumously. Attendees are asked to wear red in honor of Stephanie Tubbs Jones.
Tickets for Stroke’s No Joke are $35 and can be ordered individually, or in tables of ten, by calling the American Heart Association at 216.619.5156 or visiting www.heart.org/cleveland.
The Power of Laughter Luncheon is Cleveland’s signature event of the national campaign to educate Americans about their risk for stroke through the Power To End Stroke campaign. The campaign calls attention to the fact that minorities are at greater risk for stroke and need to be aware of the warning signs and how to respond to a stroke emergency. African Americans are twice as likely as Caucasians to suffer a first-ever stroke. So knowing your risk factors and the warning signs is important for everyone, but especially for minorities.
Stroke warning signs include numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body. Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding. Trouble seeing in one or both eyes, difficulty walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination, or sudden severe headache with no known cause. If you or a loved one experience symptoms of a stroke, don’t delay, call 9-1-1. Stroke is a medical emergency.
The Power To End Stroke Luncheon is locally sponsored by Kaiser Permanente, 93.1 WZAK, RPM International, The Call & Post, United Black Fund of Greater Cleveland and Cleveland Clinic. Power To End Stroke is nationally supported by The Bristol-Myers Squibb/Sanofi Partnership.
About Power To End Stroke
Power To End Stroke is an education and awareness campaign that embraces and celebrates the culture, energy, creativity and lifestyles of African Americans. The Bristol-Myers Squibb/Sanofi Pharmaceuticals Partnership is a National Sponsor of the Power To End Stroke movement.
About the American Heart Association
The American Heart Association is devoted to saving people from heart disease and stroke – America’s No. 1 and No. 4 killers. We team with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies, and provide lifesaving tools and information to prevent and treat these diseases. The association is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. To learn more or join us, call 1-800-AHA-USA1 or any of our offices around the country, or visit heart.org.
