25/01/2012

The Stroke Unit at Vall d'Hebron University Hospital (HUVH) and the neurovascular diseases group at Vall d’Hebron Research Institute (VHIR) team together to run the Half Marathon of Barcelona on February 26 and to raise funds for the research in silent strokes.The idea came from the Stroke Unit at HUVH, directed by Dr. Carlos Molina, who usually runs marathons, half marathons and Triathlons in which takes part supporting solidarity actions. "Running for stroke we want to transmit to all the people, especially the environment of the patients, that it’s key to work to lessen the social, emotional and economic load that means the problem of the stroke". And the best way is to keep investigating, and this is the reason why the team thought about the research project in silent ictus that coordinates Dr. Joan Montaner as the final destination of the solidarity action of the half marathon of Barcelona."We like to run, do research with a good rythm, running to obtain results quickly", explains Dr. Montaner, who together with Dr. Molina and three colleagues of the Stroke Unit at HUVH) will take their usual way of work in the labs or the hospital rooms to the city track. All of them face the challenge of running for stroke. "Running is one way of having a healthier life, running safely means health", assure Dr. Molina and Dr. Montaner, who invite to run all those that want and can face 20 kilometres across the streets of Barcelona. But in addition, they want to extend this challenge to everyone who wants to support research on silent strokes. This is the reason why, together with the platform migranodearena.org, they have launched the initiative Running for stroke, which everybody can support here: "http://www.migranodearena.org/unitatde-ictus1" http://www.migranodearena.org/unitatde-ictus1 . Their effort will contribute to fund a project which will help to identify people with high risk of suffering stroke and thus to apply preventive measures.‘One of every 6 people in the world will suffer a stroke in their life, and it could be you’, it is one of the mottoes of the initiative, in which along with Dr. Montaner and Dr. Molina also participate the neurologists Dr. Jorge Pagola and Dr. Marc Ribó, and the nurse Pilar Meler, coordinator of the clinical trials. Dr. Pagola has participated in the Marathon of Madrid, Dr. Ribó used to run with his father and Pilar Meler is a usual runner. The case of the Dr. Carlos Molina is an example of support of solidarity actions. Running is one of his big interests, he races great distances four times per year and will also take part in the Olympic distance of the Triathlon of New York 2012, supporting a charity action in favour of the children of Peru, and also the Ironman Half Challenge Barcelona-Maresme in May.They promise that will train together, they never run together, some of them will run a half marathon for the first time. Dr. Montaner, practices sport regularly but has never raced more than 400 meters. "It will be my first long race, but it is a personal challenge that I always had and it makes me happy to achieve it, even more so with an added goal directly related to my work".All of them witness daily the devastating consequences of stroke. "We were seeking a way of calling attention on the importance of silent strokes and how to link it to sport practice. Finally we found the idea that better adapts to what we wanted to transmit", explain Dr. Montaner and Dr. Molina. They are colleagues at work, friends, neurologists and nurse, battling against stroke, and will fight together to convince the people around them to support their funding challenge at migranodearena.org. Raising more funds is key to continue researching. Research is the best tool for the prevention and treatment of stroke, and to keep brains healthy for many years.“It won’t be our last action”, says Dr. Molina, who promises that will run again for other projects related with stroke to keep convincing people and in particular the environment of the patients, as well as potential patients.For all this, they ask everyone to run virtually and help to achieve their fight against silent strokes, and contribute with a donation to the project in migranodearena.org. "http://youtu.be/xqhn4Iylf4k" Video Running for stroke