Volunteers elect board members
Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point’s Volunteer Association has elected its new board of directors. From left: Diane Ricca, president; Colleen D’Amario, vice president; Debbie Hennessy, secretary; Shirley Dunn, treasurer; Vikki Neftleberg, assistant treasurer; and, Elliot Lorenzi, Otto Ottaviano, Dixie Cagle, Joe D’Amario and Tom Runnions as directors at large.
American Stroke Month
During May, the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association encourages people of all ages to recognize the signs and symptoms of a stroke, and to take healthy steps to reduce stroke risk.
Stroke claims an average of nearly 900 lives every year in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties, and is a leading cause nationally of serious, long-term disability. Stroke is largely preventable and treatable.
Normal blood pressure is below 120/80 mm Hg. Nearly one in six American adults with high blood pressure does not know it.
AHA/ASA teaches the acronym F.A.S.T., to help people recognize the most common stroke warnings signs and what to do if one occurs:
- F – Face drooping: Does one side of the face droop or is it numb? Ask the person to smile.
- A – Arm weakness: Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
- S – Speech difficulty: Is speech slurred, is the person unable to speak, or is the person hard to understand? Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence like, “The sky is blue.” Is the sentence repeated correctly?
- T – Time to call 911: If the person shows any of these symptoms, even if the symptoms go away, call 911 and get them to the hospital immediately.
For information, visit StrokeAssociation.org/strokemonth.
Health care gala
Guiding Star Tampa hosted its annual Light of Hope Benefits Gala benefit attended by more than 300 community partners, contributors, friends and residents.
Guiding Star is a comprehensive women’s health care practice that offers medical services, education and ongoing support to women and their children, from puberty through menopause, in the Tampa Bay area. The center offers natural, holistic and whole-life medical health care.
Located in north Hillsborough County, the facility has medical examination rooms, classroom/meeting rooms for English and Spanish Mommy Support Groups, and consulting rooms for one-on-one educational sessions.
Guests can schedule a facility tour by calling (813) 948-7734.
For information, visit GuidingStarTampa.org.
