Five million dollar contribution from provincial government kicks off Heart and Stroke Foundation CEO's solo kayak voyage for stroke research

"The goal of the Centre is to develop new strategies to repair the brain after injury, specifically after stroke," said Dr. Antoine Hakim, Scientific Director, Heart and Stroke Foundation Centre for Stroke Recovery. "This funding will help ensure the Centre's researchers have access to the world-class infrastructure required to tackle the new frontier in stroke research and to continue making break-through discoveries and implementing treatments."

[...]

"I have seen first-hand the devastating effects of stroke in my family,"said Rocco Rossi. "This is why I decided to embark upon this journey. I will be kayaking my way to Ottawa almost 480 km away to raise money and awareness. The Centre has campuses in Ottawa and Toronto and so this trip is intended to symbolically connect the campuses.

"There are approximately 100,000 paddle strokes between here and Ottawa and that is a metaphor for our need to redouble our efforts to deal with this deadly and incapacitating illness. The Centre represents one of the best hopes to make a real difference and I am delighted and proud to be part of it."

Botox: A Documentary in Pictures

Since it's Stroke Month, I've put together a 'documentary' in pictures of my Mom's adventures with botox. Please be advised that no moms were permanently hurt in the making of this documentary, despite what she might tell you.

Botox is actually toxic, but it can be an excellent treatment for people with muscle problems as a result of stroke and acquired or traumatic brain injury. I've heard about it being used as a treatment for migraines, excessive sweating and, of course, crow's feet. I don't know about the benefits in those cases, but for muscle spasticity, I've seen it work wonders.

Special thanks to Mom, Dr. Cullen, Annabella, Mark (the doctor in training) and all the wonderful people at the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute.

The world needs more physiatrists!

Stroke Economics 101

Boost stroke care to prevent disability, save billions: report

"Widespread access to stroke care clinics could prevent tens of thousands of strokes and save at least $8 billion in health-care costs over the next 20 years, doctors said Wednesday."

Read more...

I'm currently out of the office, sitting on the couch listening to the dog snore and watching Oprah... (and what do you do on your vacation?)

OUT OF OFFICE AUTO REPLY
BY JIM STALLARD
(thanks McSweeneys!)

I will be out of the office on travel from June 13 through June 21 and from June 23 through June 29, 2006.

I will have e-mail access through my laptop on June 17 from 5:36 a.m. to 5:39 a.m. (GMT), but will be using the bandwidth to download an A-ha ringtone.

My work cell phone (212-555-3285) is in a rented Camry at the bottom of the Delaware River. If you wish to fax me, I suggest allowing yourself ample time to emerge from the cryogenic state.

If this is an urgent matter, my assistant Kelli Browne can be found in the third stall of the 17th-floor women's room trying desperately to locate a fresh vein.

I will be back in the office June 22 from 3:00 a.m. to 4:30 a.m., trying to erase certain financial transactions from my hard drive. From June 22 through June 23, I will be checking my BlackBerry periodically to see whether company accountants have begun to pick up the trail.

On June 24, I will be receiving messages through a dead drop in Washington, D.C. Put masking tape on the front leg of the mailbox on the southwest corner of 37th and Upton Streets, N.W., to alert me, and then write the message on the back of Lincoln's head in the memorial.

From June 25 through June 28, I will be traveling to the homes of various friends, trying unsuccessfully to borrow money, except for June 27, when I will be attending a Bobby Vinton show in Branson, Missouri.

During the afternoon of June 29 through the morning of June 30, I will be crawling through a drainage pipe connecting Chula Vista with Tijuana and will not have good reception.

Beginning July 2, you should be able to reach me through the main switchboard at the minimum-security prison in Texarkana, Texas. My pager (212-555-2946) may be with me, depending on the thoroughness of the cavity search. It will probably take me a while to call back.

If my attorney comes through, I expect to be back in the office at 9 a.m. on July 5. Have a safe holiday!

Heard last Saturday night at the Honest Lawyer in the Ladies Washroom

There is a girl in New York City
Who calls herself the human trampoline
And sometimes when I'm falling, flying
Or tumbling in turmoil I say
Oh, so this is what she means

(Paul Simon "Graceland")

Stroke: Light or Mild? Hardly...

Tipping the Scales of Progress: Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada releases new data and recommendations on tobacco, obesity and disease prevention

"While the Foundation has previously released statistical reports, this is the first edition that combines data and projections with policy recommendations for governments. "

Some of their more interesting recommendations:

• encourage mixed use developments that enable people to walk or bike to a variety of shops and services in their neighbourhoods.
• (tobacco control) elimination of deceptive labeling e.g., "light" and "mild"
• remove sales taxes from restaurant foods that are ‘healthy’
• remove sales taxes from ‘healthy’ food products such as single servings of bottled water, pre-packaged salads and fruit trays in retail stores

June is Stroke Month

Nurses target stroke and hypertension

"Stroke is the fourth leading cause of death in Canada, with more than 15,000 deaths every year attributable to this cause. It is also one of the most costly medical conditions, costing the Canadian economy $2.7 billion annually (Health Canada, 1997). (...) Risk factors include obesity, high cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, hypertension, and the lack of regular physical activity."

Heart and Stroke Foundation: Finding Answers for Life

"Over time high blood pressure can damage blood vessel walls causing scarring that promotes the build-up of fatty plaque, which can narrow and eventually block arteries. It also strains the heart and eventually weakens it. Very high blood pressure can cause blood vessels in the brain to burst – resulting in a stroke."

Do you know the five warning signs of a stroke?

Rob's Story: A Wild Ride