Prince Edward Island, often over looked by many as this tiny out of the way hick province of Canada. Populated by fisherman, farmers and blue collar government employees, how can there be anything of note happen there?

Well besides being the birthplace of yours truly, P.E.I.'s Heart and Stroke Foundation recently approved the use of clot busting drugs for the province's new integrated stroke strategy.

The Numbers

1 stroke can equal up to billions of brain cells or neurons to die. Which not only sucks it also means for every 100 people have a stroke:

15 die
10 recover completely
25 have mild impairment
40 are left with moderate to severe impairment
the rest need care

Drain on the economy?
$2.7 billion PLUS emotional strain

Hit 55 and your odds double every 10 years

This new integrated stroke strategy authorizes emergency room staff to administer tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) to patients with ischemic stroke.

HUH!?!
*sigh*
Fret not my beloved readers, it's quite simple.
Those suffering from an a blot clot in the brain, as opposed to a hemorrage, get this new CLOT BUSTING superhero drug to loosen the clot and allow the necessary nutrients to reach the brain.
No clot means that no neurons die, no chance of death, no impairment, and no $2.7 billion dollar and emotional strain.

It's not a wonder drug, it's just science.

Of course, like all new stars on the scene, this drug travels with a rider. It can only be used within 3 hours of onset of symptoms and under no circumstance will it be applied during a hemorrhagic stroke, it'll make everything a lot worse and no one wants that. Therefore, to determin which stroke the patient is suffering from a Cat Scan is vital.

YAY! PEI!
Guess what? The first person to benefit from this new integrated strategy is a Summerside homeboy, Mr. Noye. Do I know him? No, I don't think so. But, my pop's crew at Prince County Hospital saved his life with the new strategy. When all was said and done he left the hospital with no signs of illness what so ever.

Had this been a different time and place, Mr. Noye might would assuradly not have been so lucky.

Toronto's a great place, but, Summerside is on the map today!