By: Keli Cristofaro, Stroke Community Engagement Specialist, Northwestern Ontario Regional Stroke Network, and Canada Coordinator of FAST Heroes.
Stroke remains one of the leading causes of death and disability in Canada, disproportionately affecting older adults. The key to reducing the impact of stroke is rapid recognition and immediate action. Yet too often, warning signs are missed, delaying treatment and reducing the chances of recovery.
Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre’s Northwestern Ontario Regional Stroke Network has been leading the FAST Heroes campaign since 2019. FAST Heroes is an innovative, school-based health education stroke awareness program that bridges generations by engaging children to share lifesaving knowledge with their grandparents. Developed internationally with endorsement from the World Stroke Organization and gaining momentum in Canada, FAST Heroes turns primary grade students into ambassadors of stroke awareness, teaching them to recognize the signs of stroke summarized by the acronym FAST: Face, Arms, Speech, and Time, time to call 9-1-1.
But the impact goes beyond education. The program directly advances hospital mandates to the community, particularly for older adults. Grandparents are the primary target audience of this initiative; by equipping them (through their grandchildren) with the ability to identify the early warning signs of stroke, hospitals and health systems can help ensure that older adults receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time.
Ontario hospitals are increasingly focused on developing care models that prioritize prevention, integration, and partnership with families. While advanced stroke units, telestroke networks, and rehabilitation services remain critical, earlier activation of emergency care remains the single most effective way to improve outcomes. FAST Heroes Canada received endorsement from the Ontario Association of Paramedic Chiefs, in which all EMS services across Ontario are able to support this program through classroom engagement.
The FAST Heroes model contributes to a new way of caring for older adults by:
- Empowering families: Children become health champions, fostering intergenerational learning within households.
- Promoting timely care-seeking: Older adults who internalize FAST are more likely to activate emergency services immediately, arriving at stroke-ready hospitals within the treatment window.
- Strengthening community-hospital connections: Stroke Networks across Ontario are continuing to endorsing FAST Heroes and exploring ways to integrate this awareness campaigns into their community outreach. Staff become FAST Heroes ambassadors and collaborate with school boards and schools to incorporate FAST Heroes into the primary educational settings. Evaluations show that children not only learn and retain the information but are eager to share it with their grandparents, multiplying the program’s reach.
These kinds of initiatives represent an important stride in caring for older adults. By meeting patients and families outside of hospital settings, health systems can help reduce stroke-related disability, preserve independence for seniors, and lessen the long-term burden on hospitals and long-term care facilities.
As Ontario hospitals continue to reimagine services for our aging population, the FAST Heroes program is a strong example of how creative partnerships and community education can complement traditional models of care. By empowering the next generation to safeguard their grandparents’ health, we are not only raising stroke awareness but also building a culture of shared responsibility that ensures older adults receive timely, lifesaving care. Those interested in learning more about FAST Heroes can visit www.fastheroes.com, or contact Keli Cristofaro at Keli.Cristofaro@tbh.net or Canadaheroes@fastheroes.org.