Kids Can Be Stroke Heroes

Katherine Watson and her grandfather Bill Ward are close-knit. The Centralia fifth-grader and her “papa” like to go fishing, play games and practice softball together. Now, thanks to the Missouri Stroke Program, Ward also has extra peace of mind when he’s with his granddaughter.

Ward’s always been healthy and physically active, but in 2004, he experienced a sudden stroke that required many months of recovery. Recurrent strokes make up about one out of four of the nearly 800,000 strokes experienced in the U.S. every year, according to the National Stroke Association.

If Ward has another, he’s confident that Katherine will know what to do. MU Health Care’s stroke specialists travel to schools in Columbia and mid-Missouri to educate students on the symptoms of stroke and how to be prepared if a loved one shows symptoms.