A stroke survivor has urged those from Asian communities to learn the warning signs of a stroke because they are twice as likely to be affected as white people.
Jaswant Naker, of Ealing Broadway, was watching TV at home one evening three years ago when his vision became blurred and his speech slurred.
The 73-year-old father-of-three, who hails from India, thought he was just tired after a late night but his wife urged him to get it checked out.
Doctors at Ealing Hospital told him he was having a stroke, and he was rushed to the specialist stroke unit at Hammersmith Hospital .
"It could save your life and limit long term damage."
He has since made a good recovery, though he still suffers memory loss and tires easily and says he may not be here today had he not listened to his wife.
"It was the quick thinking of my wife that saved my life. If I had gone to bed to rest like I had intended, I dread to think what would have happened to me," he said.
"Luckily for me my wife acted fast so the impact of my stroke was not too severe. I urge everyone to know and understand the Act FAST symptoms and to not take any chances with their life.
"If you or someone you know is experiencing facial weakness, arm weakness or speech problems, call 999, do not delay. It could save your life and limit long term damage.”
Public Health England and the Stroke Association have teamed up to promote the Act FAST campaign, which urges people not to delay if they spot the warning symptoms of a stroke.
A stroke victim loses two million nerve cells for every minute they are left untreated, they say, and strokes are the largest cause of disability in the UK.
People of South Asian descent are particularly prone to strokes, so it is even more important they are aware of what to look out for.
The Act FAST campaign takes its name from the acronym FAST (Face, Arms, Speech, Time), created to drum home the message.
- Face – has their face fallen on one side? Can they smile?
- Arms – can they raise both their arms and keep them there?
- Speech – is their speech slurred?
- Time – time to call 999 if you see any single one of these signs
Celebrity chef Tony Singh, who is one of the campaign supporters, said: "The statistics are shocking, and when you realise that every minute really does count, then we need to make sure that everyone in our network and community knows what to do if they see even one of the symptoms of a stroke.
"Asians are around twice as likely to have a stroke as white people so we need to do double the work, not only to reduce the risk of stroke through a better and healthier lifestyle, but also to improve awareness of the symptoms."
