The Rotary Know Your Blood Pressure campaign 2009 saw over 400 Rotary clubs taking to high streets throughout the country to take the public’s blood pressure.

On average almost 14,000 people step up to have their blood pressure taken during this annual campaign with just under 3,000 being advised to see their GP for more tests and a further 196 urged to seek medical advice immediately. It’s fair to say that over the last 7 years, this event has prevented thousands of people suffering the sometimes fatal and often disabling consequences of a stroke.

In Doncaster the campaign took place over Thursday/Friday, 16th and 17th April in the Frenchgate Shopping Centre. NHS Doncaster provided the Health Professionals to support the local campaign run in partnership with the Stroke Association and Rotary. Some 640 people signed up for a BP test with some 20% being GP referrals and some 10 people being urgent referrals which demonstrates the value of this annual event. Rotary recognises that one of the biggest challenges is to help people understand that strokes don’t just happen to other people. They can happen to anyone, at any age and the biggest single risk is high blood pressure.