New exercise bike donation to help with stroke rehabilitation at Noble’s Hospital

The Department of Health has received a very generous donation for Ward 20 at Noble’s Hospital, in the form of an exercise bike. The donation, made to the hospital’s Physiotherapy Department by the Manx Stroke Foundation will help Ward 20 - a dedicated rehabilitation ward - with the treatment of stroke victims.

Minister for Health, David Anderson MHK said:

“It is acts of kindness and generosity such as this which ensure that the Department of Health can continue to deliver the highest standards of care to the people of the Isle of Man. I am extremely grateful to the Manx Stroke Foundation for choosing to purchase this equipment; the donation has improved the services which we offer our patients and adds another option to an already extensive rehabilitation programme.”

In 2011, Noble’s Hospital treated approximately 200 patients who had been admitted with stroke symptoms. A stroke is often caused by a blood clot or damage to a blood vessel, which can either restrict the flow of blood to the brain or result in bleeding in the brain which can cause damage. In the UK, over 150,000 people a year suffer a stroke, and it is the third most common cause of death after heart disease and cancer, with those over 65 at the highest risk. Treatment for a stroke often requires a long and intense period of rehabilitation, with exercise equipment playing an important role in the recovery of motor function and aerobic fitness.

The Department of Health has campaigned to raise stroke awareness in conjunction with the wider drive throughout the UK with the ‘Act FAST’ campaign. A stroke is a medical emergency and an ambulance should be called for immediately by dialling 999. The sooner treatment begins the better chance of recovery. The ‘Act FAST’ campaign encourages the public to be able to quickly identify the most common symptoms of a stroke in a person:

• Face - Has their face fallen on one side? Can they smile?
• Arms - Can they raise both arms and keep them there?
• Speech - Is their speech slurred?
• Time - Time to call 999 if you see any single one of these signs.

Like many illnesses, strokes can be prevented and the risks reduced through leading a healthy lifestyle, including avoiding smoking and excessive alcohol intake, eating healthy and exercising regularly. Those with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, atrial fibrillation (an irregular heartbeat) and diabetes tend to have a higher risk of suffering a stroke.

The presentation of the new exercise bike was made to Christine Wright, Senior Physiotherapist at Noble’s Hospital who said:

“This extremely generous donation of an exercise bike will further enhance the services which we provide on Ward 20. I am grateful to the Manx Stroke Foundation for this donation which will enable us to give another option for patients who are trying to regain their previous level of fitness.”

Patients who suffer a stroke are now usually admitted to Ward 7 at Noble’s Hospital, which is a dedicated Stroke Unit and following acute care, they can be transferred to Ward 20 for rehabilitation. Once patients are at home they are able to return to the gym for ongoing physiotherapy treatment.

The Manx Stroke Foundation would like to dedicate the donation to the memory of Helen Swinnerton and Philip Maddrell.