Act F.A.S.T. to slash stroke risk

Knowing the signs of stroke and acting F.A.S.T is vital to saving lives, according to Halls Head stoke survivor Richard Haley.

Mr Haley said he was lucky to survive a massive stroke five years ago and had since committed his time to ensuring others did the same.

He said the Stroke Foundation acronym acted as a quick reminder to identify the signs of stroke - face, arms, speech and time.

"I had no idea what it was when it happened to me and it wasn't something I had considered," Mr Haley said. "It was a long road to recovery. I was in a completely locked-in state for the first few days and had to learn how to do everything again."

Mr Haley said getting a suspected stoke victim to a hospital quickly was absolutely critical.

He said medical attention within four hours could make a huge difference.

National Stoke Foundation WA executive officer Jonine Collins said many strokes were preventable. Visit National Stoke Week stalls at Rockingham Shopping Centre on Tuesday next week and Mandurah Forum next Friday.