Become a part of the 2019 Jackson County Heart Walk on March 30 at Beach Park in Pascagoula, and you’ll be helping residents like Susan Sharp of Ocean Springs beat cardiovascular disease and stroke.
Susan was lucky. She was also wise enough to know the signs of stroke and listen to first responders who urged her to go to the emergency room. Sharpe, a retired cardiac RN, was home alone when she suffered her stroke. She couldn’t move or talk, and had it not been for a visitor, the outcome could have been dire. Advised by first responders that she may be suffering a stroke, she went to the ER where she received tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), which can dissolve clots and improve blood flow to the part of the brain that is deprived of blood. Susan credits the fast application of tPA for saving her life.
But her fight wasn’t over.
There was substantial damage caused by the stroke. At first, she couldn’t walk or even sit unassisted. Fortunately, she suffered no cognitive damage. Susan knew the road to recovery in front of her was long. But she embraced rehab, celebrating small successes such as learning to turn over her hand again. Susan has come a long way, so far her neurologist is shocked at her rapid progress. She can walk with a cane now, and has regained some of her motor skills. Though she still has rehab ahead of her, she’s determined to make progress every day.
Support thousands of cardiovascular disease and stroke survivors like Susan by building a Heart Walk team and raising funds for the Jackson County Heart Walk.
For more information, visit www.jacksoncountyheartwalk.org.
