Lyle and Deborah Dukes join American Stroke Association outreach
Special to the American
Lyle Dukes, senior pastor and Deborah Dukes, co-pastor of Harvest Life Changers Church, International in Woodbridge, Virginia have become national spokespersons of the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Power To End Stroke cause campaign.
Power To End Stroke is an education and awareness initiative to increase the consciousness of stroke in the African-American community. Through Power To End Stroke, African Americans are provided information and tools to help them to reduce their stroke risks.
According to the American Stroke Association, a division of the American Heart Association, the burden of stroke is greater among African Americans than any other ethnic group in America. Blacks have almost twice the risk of first-ever stroke compared to whites, and blacks 34-54 years old have four times the relative risk for stroke.
More than 100,000 African Americans have a stroke each year and many don’t know that they are at risk. Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States and a leading cause of disability. Someone suffers a stroke every 45 seconds.
Pastors Lyle and Deborah Dukes, who lead a Washington, D.C.-metropolitan area ministry of over 5,000 members, were selected in an effort to bring greater awareness through their international ministry and to unite with the American Stroke Association’s objective to reach individuals through the church and other community roots.
Pastor Lyle Dukes said, “We feel honored to be a part of educating our communities concerning this deadly condition.”
“It is our desire to do what we can to improve the quality of life, especially among African Americans,” said co-pastor Deborah Dukes.
As Power To End Stroke national ambassadors, The Dukes join other distinguished community leaders like Mary Ida Vandross, mother of the late Grammy-winning R&B singer Luther Vandross; Mark McEwen, stroke survivor and former national weatherman and anchor for the Early Show; and Will Downing, renowned jazz artist. The ambassadors “Share the Power” by recruiting other respected leaders and by getting deeply involved in local grass-roots and educational efforts to help reduce the risk of stroke in the African-American community across the country.
“African Americans take on many battles that are often societal challenges,” said Yolanda King, daughter of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King and the first national Power To End Stroke Ambassador.
Before her death in May 2007, King preached, “Stroke is a health battle that we must take seriously and confront together, because the ramifications can be overwhelming and deadly for you and your loved ones. Through Power to End Stroke, we are creating a movement to help each other live stronger, healthier lives.”
“African Americans are at particularly high risk for stroke because of their increased risk for hypertension, high cholesterol and diabetes. Through the Power To End Stroke campaign, we are teaching people how to reduce these and other stroke risks,” said Emil Matareses, M.D., clinical neurologist, St. Mary’s Medical Center, Langhorne, PA and Power To End Stroke spokesperson.
“We are also teaching our population how to recognize five simple signs of stroke and to understand that getting to the hospital immediately can potentially reduce the pain and suffering from and stroke.”
Ambassadors encourage individuals to call the American Stroke Association at 1-888-4-STROKE or visit www.strokeassociation.org/power to take the stroke pledge to reduce stroke risk, to receive free information about African Americans and stroke, and to find out how to reduce stroke in the community through the Power To End Stroke campaign.