Marion Fire Chief Brian Jackvony and Town Administrator Geoff Gorman are pleased to announce that the town’s Fire Department has been awarded a Stroke Public Awareness Grant from Borderland Partners LLC. As part of the program, the department encourages residents to attend upcoming stroke awareness events, beginning on May 1.
The grant is a collaboration between Public Health, the Community EMS program and the Council on Aging. It is an initiative to support providers and conduct stroke-related public awareness activities within the Marion community, with a goal of reaching those who are at a higher risk for stroke.
The awareness program will include signs and symptoms of stroke, what to do if you think someone is having a stroke and ways to decrease the risk of stroke.
The project includes an ongoing awareness campaign of four events from May through the end of June.
The first event will be held on May 1 at the Community Center. Participants are invited to join community leaders and stakeholders for a walk to promote healthy living and spread messages related to stroke awareness. Signs posted along the walking path will inform participants of symptoms, risk factors, and ways to decrease the risk of stroke.
Attendees can enjoy musical entertainment throughout the event. Southcoast Health will provide cholesterol and diabetic health screenings as well as blood pressure and blood sugar screenings. There will be literature related to stroke awareness available, courtesy of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.
Participants will receive a T-shirt, healthy snacks and a water bottle and can enter a raffle for the chance to win stroke healthy meal cookbooks and a Fitbit.
The second event will be on May 13 prior to the Annual Town Meeting. The Marion Fire Department and Marion Board of Health will host a table for individuals to ask questions about stroke risk concerns, signs and symptoms, preventative lifestyle behaviors and receive stroke education literature.
On May 16, the Marion Council on Aging will host a lunch-and-learn event providing attendees with a healthy stroke diet meal. Following lunch, the Board of Health and Marion Fire EMS will deliver a presentation educating members of the community on the signs and symptoms of stroke, what to do if they suspect a stroke and risk factors associated with stroke.
“On behalf of the department, I would like to thank Borderland Partners LLC for this generous grant,” said Jackvony. “We look forward to hosting and being part of these events to increase stroke awareness and provide educational opportunities for our community members.”
The Marion Fire Department, Board of Health and Council on Aging will also host a weekly 30-minute walk to promote healthy activity and exercise.
The final event will take place on June 29 at the Town’s Touch a Truck event. The Marion Fire Department and the Marion Board of Health will host a table to disseminate stroke education and awareness materials and provide wellness checks.
Attendees will receive educational literature, magnets and stroke-awareness water bottles during each event. Every event also includes a table for blood pressure and blood sugar screening.
Residents presenting with elevated blood pressure will receive automatic blood pressure cuffs to monitor their blood pressure and will be asked to follow up with their primary care physician.