F for face drooping. A for arm weakness. S for speech difficulty. T for time, to call 911.
Here’s a reminder from doctors: time is of utmost importance in case of a stroke, and knowing you might be having one is critical than ever. The American Heart Association has made a lighthearted parody of the famous 1970s song YMCA by Village People to drive home the message.
Titled F.A.S.T., the song is set in a diner, where a waiter spots a customer with a drooping face, slurred speech and a limp arm. The entire restaurant staff launches into song at this point with the chorus:
“You really need to act
F.A.S.T.
You really need to act
F.A.S.T.
Nine-one-one is the number
that you all should employ,
minutes lost are brain cells destroyed.”
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