Thame shoppers get free blood pressure checks & Stroke advice

SCORES of shoppers in Thame were given free blood pressure checks recently when two local Rotary Clubs joined the national initiative to help cut down the alarming number of strokes recorded in the UK every year.

The Rotary Clubs of Thame and Haddenham & District held the blood pressure checks at the Co-operative Supermarket in Thame, when the clubs joined scores of Rotary clubs across the UK who took to the high streets and offered blood pressure checks on the weekend as part in Rotary?s Stroke and Health Awareness Day 2009.

Marius Ciortan, President of Rotary Club of Thame said: “Many people are still unaware about the dangers of high blood pressure and how small changes to their life styles can help to reduce the likelihood of Strokes and these events help to get advice and information out there.
“Twenty one people were found to have high blood pressure and one of them was an urgent case! We were able to draw it to their attention so they could take action before it?s too late.”

The annual awareness day is run in partnership with The Stroke Association to help people better understand the relation between high blood pressure (hypertension) and stroke. It is estimated that 40% of the 150,000 strokes suffered by people in the U.K each year could be prevented. This condition can easily be controlled.