Winning time with ‘stroke-ready’ hospitals and heroes

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In the case of a stroke, every minute counts. Our employee Jan van der Merwe wants everyone to know this, even young children. That’s why he co-founded the Angels Initiative to make hospitals and individuals around the world “stroke-ready”, so they can help patients quickly and competently.

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stroke patients worldwide have already been treated in “stroke-ready“ hospitals.

Angels: Improving stroke care in hospitals

For a long time, there was one challenge van der Merwe couldn’t overcome: Far too often, patients don’t recognize the symptoms of strokes, or they simply ignore them. “Some patients do not see a doctor or hospital until hours or even days after the onset of symptoms, and thus much too late,” van der Merwe explains. As soon as the blood clot starts to block the artery, the brain begins to die bit by bit. The longer it takes for treatment to be initiated, the greater the – irreversible – damage.

The solution: education. That’s why van der Merwe, who grew up in South Africa, also visits schools - for example in Cape Town. The 9-year-olds at Brackenfell Primary School are making superhero masks. “You can be a superhero too,” says van der Merwe, smiling at student Tyra. “Do you know how?” – “By calling the emergency number 112 when my parents or grandparents need help.” Van der Merwe beams, praises, and encourages Tyra to put on her mask. “Can you also tell me how to recognize a stroke?” Tyra lists: “Difficulty speaking. Problems lifting objects. And drooping corners of the mouth.”

For five weeks, the students learn about the symptoms of a stroke in a playful way. The Angels Initiative provides an interactive comic-style learning book for painting, cutting, and reading free of charge. The children can also watch shorter videos together in class, and they have their own song with the catchy chorus: “What’s the number? 112! What’s the number? 112! What’s the number? 1!1!2! Fast Heroes!”

Van der Merwe hopes the children not only learn this lesson for life, but also share their knowledge with parents, grandparents, and friends. “There is a special relationship between children and grandparents – this is where we want to start,” van der Merwe says. And the Angels Initiative is having a real impact. “We hear a success story almost every week,” van der Merwe confirms. “Children have suddenly noticed symptoms in their grandparents while playing and then called for help, or called their parents and said, ‚Listen, grandma or grandpa is having a stroke.‘” In this way, lives were saved – and the students became true superheroes.

Jan van der Merwe, Co-Founder of the Angels Initiative

“We hear a success story almost every week.”

The Angels Initiative

Co-founded by Boehringer employees Jan van der Merwe and Thomas Fischer from Healthcare Affairs & Patient Engagement, the Angels Initiative was launched in 2016 in collaboration with the European Stroke Organisation (ESO), the World Stroke Organization (WSO), the Stroke Alliance for Europe (SAFE) and many other national stroke societies, businesses and healthcare institutions.

The Angels Initiative helps hospitals become “stroke ready“ so stroke patients can be treated as quickly and effectively as possible. The initiative works with doctors, nurses and ambulance crews in more than 8,000 hospitals and 154 countries across the globe. It builds networks for acute stroke, optimizes treatment and diagnosis, and implements best practices. More than 16 million stroke patients worldwide have already been treated in “stroke-ready“ hospitals.

As part of the Angels Initiative, in 2020 Jan and his team launched the “Fast Heroes“ program to educate people – especially schoolchildren – about the symptoms of a stroke. Teachers are empowered to teach children between the ages of five and nine about strokes and about how vital a fast response is.