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FREE BLOOD PRESSURE CHECKS
18th April 2009
The
Rotary Club of Arbury were in the Nuneaton ASDA store along with
professionals from the George Eliot Hospital who gave all who wished a free
blood pressure check.
The club
joined scores of Rotary clubs across the UK taking to the high streets and
offering blood pressure checks as part of Rotary’s Stroke & Health Awareness
Day 2009
This is
the most recent example of ASDA working with the Rotary Club of Arbury to
provide a service to the local community.
The
annual awareness day is run in partnership with The Stroke Association to
help people better understand the relationship between high blood pressure
[hypertension] and stroke. It is estimated 40% of the 150,000 strokes
suffered by people in the UK each year could be prevented. This condition
can easily be controlled. On average, the initiative sees around 13,500
people across the UK step up to have their blood pressure taken. Last year,
nearly 3,000 were advised to see their GP for more tests and a further 196
urged to seek medical advice immediately.
Rotarian
Dick Sharrott, President of Arbury Rotary Club said,
“ It’s
fair to say that over the years, this event has prevented thousands of
people suffering the sometimes fatal and often disabling consequences of a
stroke. Members of this Club have certainly benefited by accepting the offer
of these checks.”
PROSTATE
AWARENESS EVENT
The latest
initiative to raise Cancer Awareness took place at the Out Patients
Department of George Eliot Hospital on Saturday 14th March 2009.
Members
of Arbury Rotary Club volunteered their services to support Consultants,
Nurses and Admin Staff by providing free refreshments and helping to guide
members of the public.
There was a huge public response and all 170 spaces were booked within two
days of the announcement of the event.
Diabetes Awareness Evening
This was the third in a series of such evenings arranged for the Rotary Club
of Arbury by leading consultant Krishna Prasad. The first two were to
raise awareness of bowel and breast cancer problems and treatment.
On this occasion Dr John Morrissey and his diabetes care team from the
George Eliot Hospital provided the healthcare talk at the GETEC (George
Eliot Training and Education Centre).
At the event the causes of Diabetes were discussed and there was an
introduction to the Alphabet Strategy for excellent diabetes care and also a
question and answer session. Great emphasis was placed on the fact
that people can achieve great benefit from minor changes in diet and
lifestyle and avoid or reduce the effects of diabetes.
These events are free and arranged as an information service to the general
public. Places for future events should be booked when they are
advertised.
As can be seen below this event was very well attended.
The Diabetic Support Group at the local hospital receives continuing support and
the Club helped the local First Responder Unit with equipment a couple of years
ago.
Promotion of Cancer Awareness
Raising the awareness of cancer is why the members of the
Rotary Club of Arbury have teamed up with the George Eliot Hospital.
Rotarians have made a commitment to promote Cancer
Awareness in the Rope Walk Shopping Centre every second Wednesday of the
month for a year until September 2008 between 10 am and 2 pm.
A full range of information leaflets have been provided
by the Institute of Cancer Research.
photograph by courtesy of the Heartland Evening News |
