A Guinness world records attempt to kick-start a ground-breaking campaign

Johannesburg – A Guinness World Records attempt is being made to help support the global roll out of a health education campaign.

The ambition is to create the largest online photo album of people wearing superhero masks.

FAST Heroes is an award-winning campaign, aimed at children between the ages of 5 and 9, that uses a superhero theme to improve recognition of the signs of stroke, as well as the need for speedy action.

The campaign leverages children’s amazing enthusiasm for learning and sharing, encouraging the spread of knowledge to the rest of their family, particularly to their grandparents.

The record attempt is being used to drive interest, engagement, and participation in the campaign.

Families are being invited to visit the campaign virtual photo booth to take or upload photos of themselves wearing a superhero mask.

Each person can submit multiple photos, as long as each image is distinct.

The FAST Heroes campaign has a Grand Mission, to recruit a million children from across the world to learn about stroke and help save their Grandparents.

The educational resources are fun, engaging, and interactive, teaching youngsters about empathy and love, as well as providing practical life-saving skills.

Sheila Martins, Neurology Professor and President elect of the World Stroke Organization, who support and endorse the FAST Heroes campaign, said, “We are calling on schools to help us implement the campaign as they are perfectly placed to help get multiple children engaged. One in four of us will have a stroke in our lifetime, so it is a prominent issue that will touch many of us. People who have a stroke need access to high quality acute care as quickly as possible, so increasing awareness of the key symptoms is vital. The overarching aim is to help ensure that when stroke strikes, our parents and grandparents can survive with their lives intact thanks to effective and fast treatment.”

In South Africa, the Heart and Stroke Foundation South Africa and medical device company Medtronic Southern Africa are proud partners to the FAST Heroes campaign.

Professor Pamela Naidoo, CEO of the Heart and Stroke Foundation South Africa states that knowledge and awareness does not alone drive behaviour change.


“The FAST Heroes campaign is great in that young children are not only learning about stroke but are being skilled in exactly what they can do and how their protective behaviour can save the life of their grandparents,” she says.

Medtronic Southern Africa CEO Peter Mehlape concurs: “We’re getting behind FAST Heroes because saving lives is paramount! We’d like to encourage all South Africans – from children to parents to grandparents – to become global citizens and participate in this life-giving campaign.”

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