Who would have guessed? The Village People - the '70s disco band with the "cop" lead singer - might actually have a part in saving lives.
A new parody of the band's hit song "YMCA" is corny, catchy and a bit unsettling. However, it might just prevent stroke victims from incurring permanent damage and disabilities.
The American Heart Association and American Stroke Association (AHA/ASA) are releasing a new parody music video to teach people how to recognize the most common stroke warning signs. The video is being released to coincide with World Stroke Day, Oct. 29.
Worldwide, strokes are the No. 2 cause of death and a leading cause of serious disability. For the American Stroke Association, raising awareness of stroke is more critical than ever, as new reports indicate stroke deaths are on the rise.
The song features a man ordering food in a diner, then slurring his words and dropping his water glass. The customer's stroke, naturally, prompts the waitress to break into song and dance: "Hey man, is your face drooping out of place? Hey man, the letter 'F' stands for 'face.'"
That, naturally, prompts others in the diner - customers and staff - to break out into song and dance.
The video can be viewed on YouTube at youtube.com/watch?v=lTykAih-USY or by typing "FAST song" in the YouTube search box.
The whole purpose is to impart the message, when you see a stroke, acting FAST can mean the different between a full recovery and permanent disability.
Aside from meaning quickly, FAST is an acronym for the signs of a stroke:
Face Drooping - Does one side of the face droop or is it numb? Ask the person to smile. Is the person's smile uneven?
Arm Weakness - Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
Speech Difficulty - Is speech slurred? Is the person unable to speak or hard to understand? Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence, like "The sky is blue."
Time to Call 9-1-1 - If someone shows any of these symptoms, even if the symptoms go away, call 9-1-1 and get to a hospital immediately. (Tip: Check the time so you'll know when the first symptoms appeared.)
Stroke education is an ongoing process. Sometimes it takes something wacky and unconventional to get people's attention. We hope this does the job and prepares people to act FAST.