Stroke Survivors demonstrate "Surviving and Thriving" in Thunder Bay Dragon
Boat Festival
Strokes In Motion!
July 19th, 2007 - Canada-Wide - On Saturday, July 21, 2007, twenty
stroke survivors will take to the waters of Boulevard Lake to participate in
"The Legend of the Dragon", a special 250 metre exhibition race being held as
part of the Thunder Bay Dragon Boat Festival.
The exhibition team is made up of stroke survivors from the local chapter of
Stroke Recovery CanadaT, a program of March of Dimes Canada. Stroke is the
third leading cause of death in Canada, behind heart disease and cancer. There
are over 300,000 stroke survivors in Canada, and every year another 50,000 join
their ranks. Stroke Recovery CanadaTM provides the resources needed to help
stroke survivors, their families and caregivers, "Survive and Thrive" after a
stroke. Through this program, stroke survivors across Canada have been able to
more easily re-engage in their communities, and affirm that there is meaningful
and quality life after a stroke.
The monthly meetings of the Thunder Bay chapter are held at the 55 Plus Centre
on River Street.
Keli Cristofaro, Therapeutic Recreationist for the Neurology Day Program at St.
Joseph's Care Group, and an avid dragon boater herself, with Todd Kennedy of
March of Dimes, recognized that participation in the Dragon Boat Festival would
be a challenging yet achievable goal for stroke survivors. In partnership with
Stroke Recovery CanadaT the Strokes in Motion team was formed.
"I have traveled the country and met hundreds of stroke thrivers, people who do
not let their disability mean an end to their dignity and independence," says
Kimberley Dowds, Associate Director of Stroke Recovery Canada. "The members of
the Strokes in Motion team really exemplify surviving and thriving after a
stroke."
This the first time that the Thunder Bay Dragon Boat Festival has allowed a
special exhibition race and has also generously waived the "Strokes in Motion"
team's entrance fee.
The "Strokes in Motion" team will be spreading the message of the importance of
early stroke recognition and prevention by wearing t-shirts emblazoned with the
signs and symptoms of stroke: · sudden weakness · trouble speaking · vision
problems, headache and dizziness.
The team will also be stressing the need to immediately call 911 or a local
medical emergency number if a stroke is suspected.
The "Strokes in Motion" team will race from noon - 12:15 p.m. against family
and friends in a second boat.
For more information please contact:
Kimberley Dowds
Associate Director, National Programs
March of Dimes Canada
10 Overlea Blvd. Toronto,
ON M4H 1A4
Phone: 416-425-3463 ext. 7211
Toll Free: 1-800-263-3463 ext. 7211
Cell: 647-294-4123
Fax: 416-425-1920
kdowds@dimes.on.ca www.marchofdimes.ca
or
Todd Kennedy
Access Services Coordinator
Community & Volunteer Services
Ontario March of Dimes
237 Camelot Street Thunder Bay,
ON P7A 4B2
Tel: 807-345-6595 ext. 105
Toll-free: 800-335-0715 ext. 105
Fax: 807-345-7086
or
Thunder Bay Dragon Boat Festival
807-768-4407
info@thunderbaydragonboat.com
