The World Stroke Organization and Boston Scientific Join Forces to Bolster Awareness and Advocacy Efforts

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May 30, 2013, 09:51 ET

LONDON, May 30, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

The World Stroke Organization will team with global medical technology leader Boston Scientific Corporation (NYSE:BSX), to further raise awareness and take action in the worldwide fight against stroke.

"The WSO aims to reduce the global burden of stroke through prevention, acute treatment and long-term care," said WSO president Prof. Stephen Davis. Joining forces with Boston Scientific and other leading companies involved in the stroke field, to address atrial fibrillation and other stroke-related conditions, directly helps us to achieve that mission."

As the newest member of the World Stroke Campaign, Boston Scientific will join other sponsors to raise awareness about World Stroke Day to take place on October 29, 2013 and will support additional World Stroke Organization efforts to share key messages and important information about stroke prevention and treatments through campaign websites, pamphlets, posters, educational efforts and email messages.

"Boston Scientific is dedicated to improving the health of patients around the world and supporting WSO in efforts to increase awareness of stroke is a natural extension of our mission," said Keith Dawkins, M.D., global chief medical officer, Boston Scientific. "We are committed to developing innovative technologies which may provide alternatives to the current standard of care for stroke, and the WSO efforts to support patient education about stroke, risk factors, prevention and treatment options are highly complementary to our work."

According to the World Health Organization, approximately 15 million people suffer a stroke each year. Stroke is the second leading cause of death for people above the age of 60 and the fifth leading cause in people aged 15 to 59. It also affects children, including newborns. Each year, nearly six million people die from stroke. In fact, stroke is responsible for more deaths annually than those attributed to AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria altogether. Stroke is also the leading cause of long-term disability, irrespective of age, gender, ethnicity or country.

The WSO launched the World Stroke Campaign in 2010 with the theme "1 in 6" to call attention to the fact that one in six people worldwide will have a stroke in their lifetime. Stroke knows no borders and can strike at any age. More information about the campaign can be obtained by visiting http://www.worldstrokecampaign.org

The WSO is calling on its member organizations and partners to share the WSO "1 in 6" challenge by asking them to remind individuals about these important steps in preventing stroke:

Know their personal risk factors: high blood pressure, diabetes, and high blood cholesterol.
Be physically active and exercise regularly. Attain and maintain a healthy body weight.
Maintain a healthy diet high in fruit and vegetable and low in salt, sugar, saturated and trans fats to stay a healthy state and keep blood pressure low.
Limit alcohol consumption.
Avoid cigarette smoke. And, if they smoke, to seek help to stop now.
Learn to recognize the warning signs of a stroke.

About WSO

The World Stroke Organization (WSO) was established in October 2006. WSO's mission is to reduce the global burden of stroke through prevention, treatment and long-term care. As the lead international body for stroke, WSO aims to accomplish its mission by:

Fostering the best standards of practice
Increasing stroke awareness among the population and among health professionals
Preventing subtle cerebrovascular disease leading to gait disorders, imbalance, vascular cognitive impairment and behavioral changes
Influencing policies for stroke prevention and improved health services
Providing education in collaboration with public and private organizations
Facilitating stroke research advocacy for people with stroke
Fostering the development of systems and organizations for long-term care and support of stroke survivors and their families.

With individual and organizational members worldwide, including stroke support groups, WSO is the global voice for stroke. WSO is the only international stroke NGO in official relations with the World Health Organization (WHO). Prof. Stephen Davis, MD, FRCP, Edin FRACP, from Melbourne, Australia, is the president of the World Stroke Organization.

http://www.worldstrokecampaign.org

SOURCE World Stroke Organization