Strides For Stroke Bringing Awareness to St. Cloud

ST. CLOUD - Honoring survivors and raising awareness are the goals of the Minnesota Stroke Association with the state wide Strides For Stroke event.

Around 60 people toughed out the cold rainy weather and walked around the CentraCare Health Plaza's one mile trail surrounding the building.

St. Cloud was one of just four cities around Minnesota that hosted a Strides For Stroke event. Duluth, Mankato and the Twin Cities also held the stroke awareness walk.

Melissa Freese is the Stroke Coordinator at the St. Cloud Hospital.

She says raising awarenss has helped people in St. Cloud get diagnosed quicker.

"I think there is more of an awareness so people are going in [to the hospital] quicker. So we see more people coming in for strokes, but it's not because more people are having strokes,it is because they are more aware that we can help."

Freese was joined by stroke survivor Doug Gansen. He made the one-mile walk around CentraCare. Doug wants people to know that taking care of yourself will lower your risk of having a stroke.

"Staying active and eating right are big things. I wasn't doing those things before but I am now. It is helping me to not only lower my risk for another stroke but also helps my symptoms from my previous strokes."

To learn more about the Minnesota Stroke Association or how you can help or volunteer for upcoming events click on the link below.