It is vital that a person experiencing a stroke receives medical attention as soon as possible. Because timely care and improved outcomes depend on recognizing the signs, Doctor of Occupational Therapy student Elizabeth Lawlor is spreading the word so more people know what to look for. 

As part of her doctoral capstone project, Lawlor created the BE FAST Campus-to-Community Campaign to increase stroke awareness across campus and encourage community members to share that knowledge beyond the Institute.  Supported by the Tedy’s Team Center of Excellence in Stroke Recovery, the initiative reflects the Center’s commitment to improving stroke recognition and response in the community.

She recently led two well attended lunch-and-learn sessions for faculty, students, and staff at the MGH Institute, where she introduced attendees to the BE FAST acronym, a tool used to identify common stroke warning signs. BE FAST stands for Balance, Eyes, Face, Arms, Speech, and Time, highlighting symptoms such as sudden loss of balance, vision problems, facial drooping, arm weakness, and difficulty speaking, while emphasizing the importance of calling emergency services immediately if these signs appear.

“The purpose of the BE FAST Campus-to-Community campaign was to spread stroke awareness so people understand the signs and symptoms,” Lawlor said. “By sharing that information with their own communities, we can multiply the impact and help more people recognize a stroke and get the care they need as quickly as possible.”

The lunch-and-learn was one of several engagement efforts she has planned to expand stroke awareness throughout the IHP community.