www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Friday, June 12, 2015 | 6 You swoop down to pick up your niece for a hug -- something you've done a hundred times -- but for some reason, your right arm just can't support her weight. Your husband, in the middle of a conversation, asks what you're talking about then falls silent, looking lost. A few moments later, he seems back to his old self. It looks like someone has snuck in and smeared something all over your glasses -- objects around you look blurred and out of focus. Suddenly, after a productive morning at your desk, you feel the need to close your eyes against the stabbing pain in your head. And even though you are sitting in a sturdy chair, it feels like the room is spinning. · · · Recognizing the above symptoms -- weakness in the limbs, trouble speaking, vision problems, sudden headache and dizziness -- as indicators that someone may be having a stroke could save a person's life; acting quickly to ensure they receive appropriate treatment could drastically alter the path of their recovery and subsequent quality of life. According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, which designates each June as stroke month and marks it with increased awareness campaigns, stroke occurs when an artery that carries blood rich in oxygen and nutrients through the body to the brain becomes blocked or bursts, cutting off the blood supply to a part of the brain. The longer the brain goes without oxygen and nutrients, the greater the risk of permanent brain damage. Brain injuries can also result in uncontrolled bleeding and permanent brain damage. Use the FAST mnemonic to remember what to do in case of stroke: Face -- Is it drooping? Arms -- Can you raise both? Speech -- Is it jumbled? Time -- Call 9-1-1 right away. Even when not in crisis, there are some actions we can take to be proactive about our health. Risks for stroke include factors we cannot control, such as age, gender, family history and stroke history, but also factors we can control, such as smoking, being overweight, high cholesterol, alcohol consumption and stress. A wealth of information, links to resources and lifestyle tips are available at www.heartandstroke.com. · · · Last weekend, a longtime employee of Metroland Media Group's Halton Division, aged 48, was rushed to hospital with symptoms of stroke. He promptly received clot-busting drugs and responded well. Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his young family as his recovery continues. Remember to act FAST Editorial F A S H I O N A B L E "Connected to your Community" F U N D R A I S E R 5046 Mainway, Unit 2, Burlington ON L7L 5Z1 General Inquiries: (905) 845-3824 Classi ed Advertising: (905) 632-4440 Circulation: 5300 Harvester Rd., Burlington (905) 631-6095 Volume 53 | Number 47 The Oakville Beaver is a division of Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Vice President and Group Publisher of Metroland West NEIL OLIVER The May Court Club of Oakville recently held a fashion show to raise funds for Halton Healthcare Services' (HHS) new Oakville hospital. The May event presented fashions by Tocca Finita and M for Men. Pictured are members of the May Court Fashion Show Committee with Anna Rea of Tocca Finita, presenting a $73,110 cheque to Tina Triano, CEO of the Halton Healthcare Foundation. The funds are directed to the Mammography Department and the Children's/Adolescent Mental Health Department. | submitted photo Regional General Manager Halton Region Editor in Chief Advertising Director DAVID HARVEY JILL DAVIS DANIEL BAIRD Managing Editor ANGELA BLACKBURN RIZIERO VERTOLLI Photography Director Business Manager Director of Production Let's celebrate Queen Elizabeth Sept. 9 Try as dissenters might, it would be hard to extract the British roots from our community. Why, even Bronte owes its name to Horatio Nelson, the Duke of Bronte, who won the battle of Trafalgar. The United Empire Loyalists, along with Canada's rst Lt. Governor John Graves Simcoe and General Brock, protected our borders and laid the groundwork for a culture, which is aptly described in the words of Canadian author Peter C. Newman: "A religious, self-effacing people, the Loyalists spurned the chest-thumping bravado of the Americans and developed styles and attitudes that are very much like the Canadian personality of today. Instead of settling disputes with guns and violence, the Loyalists preferred to argue things out and reach a consensus. We are all Loyalists in that sense. There are any number of Canadian traits that are actually Loyalists traits, so we are all sons and daughters of the Loyalists." With this in mind, I urge the mayor and councillors of Oakville to observe the historic date of Sept. 9, 2015, when Queen Elizabeth will be become the longest-reigning monarch in British history. Let's rise up and exuberantly celebrate this gracious model of sel ess service and dedication. Long may she reign. Betty L. Reade, Oakville Letters to the Editor SANDY PARE MARK DILLS MANUEL GARCIA Production Manager Director of Distribution CHARLENE HALL KIM MOSSMAN Circulation Manager Proud Official Media Sponsor For: Canadian Circulations Audit Board Member Recognized for Excellence by Ontario Community Newspapers Association Canadian Community Newspapers Association Indications show a problem with curriculum Re: Parents know more about pizza sales than sex ed, Oakville Beaver, Friday, June 5, 2015 While the headline on the continuation of the front page article is taken from a statement by a parent, it misses the point that she was making, and is rather ambiguous (deliberately so?). The real point (made in the rst part of the boxed quotation) is the lack of consultation with parents. A token 4,000 parents were consulted across the province, and these were chosen by the principals, who may be assumed to know on which side their bread is buttered. The unseemly haste to push this curriculum through (and the over-reaction in calling the police "because the parents did not leave quickly enough") suggests that the board knows there is a problem with this curriculum. As for trustee Paul Marai's assertion that it will be "taught within a Catholic lens," given that portions of that curriculum con ict with the teachings of the Catholic Church, a strong lter would be more to the point. Michael Johnson, Oakville Proud Official Media Sponsor For: The Oakville Beaver welcomes letters from its readers. Letters will be edited for clarity, length, legal considerations and grammar. In order to be published all letters must contain the name, address and phone number of the author. Letters should be addressed to: The Editor, Oakville Beaver, 5046 Mainway, Unit 2, Burlington ON L7L 5Z1 or via email to ablackburn@oakvillebeaver.com. The Beaver reserves the right to refuse to publish a letter. 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