Watch our video where Tim Vine, Paul O’Grady, Mel Giedroyc and others tell their favourite jokes to raise awareness of the Stroke Association’s Not just a funny turn campaign.

Some of Britain’s top comedic talents and famous faces have joined forces to mark Action on Stroke Month by telling their favourite jokes in support of the Stroke Association’s campaign about mini-stroke: Not just a funny turn.

Tim Vine, Paul O’Grady, Mel Giedroyc, Tim Piggot Smith, Honor Blackman and Stephen K Amos are among the stars backing the

campaign sharing their favourite and silliest jokes and one-liners to highlight the cause.

 

The campaign has been launched by the Stroke Association (supported by Legal & General) to raise awareness of mini-stroke. Thousands of people put themselves at risk of a stroke by dismissing the passing symptoms as ‘just a funny turn’, and are unaware that they are, in fact, having a mini-stroke.

Each year around 46,000 people in the UK have a mini-stroke for the first time. The symptoms are the same as a stroke except that they last no longer than 24 hours. The risk of stroke in the first few days following a mini-stroke is highest and it should be treated as a medical emergency. Call 999 when the symptoms appear.

 

If mini-stroke (also known as a TIA or transient ischaemic attack) is treated in time, around 10,000 strokes could be prevented annually and the NHS and care services could save more than £200m⁽ⁱ⁾.

 

Watch our video to check out the ‘funny-turns’ of some of the nation’s favourite comedians.

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT

Website: www.stroke.org.uk/tia

Hashtag: #ministroke

ST test can help identify the signs of a mini-stroke:

• FACIAL weakness: Can the person smile? Has their mouth or eye drooped?
• ARM weakness: Can the person raise both arms?
• SPEECH problems: Can they speak clearly and understand what you say?
• TIME to call 999

The symptoms of a stroke or mini-stroke usually come on suddenly. Other symptoms, sometimes associated with TIA, can include weakness or numbness on one side of the body, loss of vision or blurred vision in one or both eyes, memory loss, confusion or a sudden fall.

• A mini-stroke (also known as a TIA or transient ischaemic attack) is the same as a stroke, except that the symptoms last for a short amount of time and no longer than 24 hours. More information about TIAs can be found at http://www.stroke.org.uk/factsheet/transient-ischaemic-attack
• A stroke is a brain attack which happens when the blood supply to the brain is cut off, caused by a clot or bleeding in the brain. There are around 152,000 strokes in the UK every year and it is the leading cause of severe adult disability. There are over 1.2 million people in the UK living with the effects of stroke.
• Stroke Association is a charity. We believe in life after stroke and we’re leading a community of people to change the world for people affected by stroke.  We work directly with stroke survivors and their families and carers, with health and social care professionals and with scientists and researchers. We campaign to improve stroke care and support people to make the best recovery they can. We fund research to develop new treatments and ways of preventing stroke. The Stroke Helpline (0303 303 3100) provides information and support on stroke. More information can be found at www.stroke.org.uk