To commemorate World Stroke Day on 29 October, FAST Heroes ambassadors from The Angels Initiative at Boehringer Ingelheim participated in Stepping Out For Stroke 2022. The event is organised yearly by Singapore National Stroke Association to raise awareness of stroke and support stroke survivors and caregivers. Guest-of-Honour, Ms. Sun Xueling, Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Social and Family Development, flagged off the walkathon held at Bayfront Event Space this afternoon.
Over 900 participants, including FAST Heroes ambassadors, stroke survivors and their caregivers, donned a special mask to set an inaugural Singapore Book of Records for ‘Largest Mass Walk Wearing Superhero Masks’. Through the event, they hope this opportunity empowers more members of the public to become ‘superheroes’ themselves by recognising stroke symptoms and saving lives.
With Singapore experiencing a rising number of stroke incidences, there is a pressing need to educate the public on this life-threatening disease and empower them to make a difference,”
– Dr. Shamala Thilarajah, President of Singapore National Stroke Association
“Our annual Stepping Out For Stroke event exemplifies our efforts to expand stroke awareness amongst locals. Beyond this, we will continue to work closely with partners like The Angels Initiative at Boehringer Ingelheim to bring the knowledge of spotting stroke to schools and children,” Dr. Thilarajah continued.
Participants learning about the FAST Heroes 995 programme and engaging with the interactive activities at the FAST Heroes booth
To increase public awareness of stroke, Mr. Jan van der Merwe, Project Lead for Angels Initiative for Boehringer Ingelheim, also shared more about the FAST Heroes 995 programme at the event. The programme is designed for children between the ages of 5 and 9 years old. It uses short film animations, a FAST Heroes song and a workbook with interactive activities to simplify the topic of stroke. The educational initiative equips children and families with the ability to identify stroke symptoms and reinforces the importance of timely intervention to prevent disability and death.
Launched in July 2022, FAST Heroes 995 is a school-based programme developed by the Department of Education and Social Policy at the University of Macedonia and made possible by support from the Angels Initiative. The World Stroke Organisation also endorses it. In Singapore, the Angels Initiative partnered with SNSA to bring the programme to schools nationwide. It has reached out to 63 kindergartens and more than 2,800 children. The programme will be extended to primary schools next year.
Images: Böhringer Ingelheim
