Piedmont Columbus Regional hosts second annual Stroke Ambassador Program

Columbus, Ga. (October 28, 2026) - The Piedmont Columbus Regional Community Outreach and Stroke teams in partnership with the Muscogee County School District, recently hosted the second annual Stroke Ambassador Training Program at Northside High School.

Several hundred Work-Based Learning and Health Science students from Northside, Spencer, Shaw and Jordan high schools in Columbus heard directly from hospital leaders to increase their stroke awareness and empower them with life-saving knowledge.

The goals of the program:

• Sharing signs and symptoms of stroke (B.E. F.A.S.T.) across schools and the community.
• Increasing awareness about the importance of recognizing signs and symptoms of stroke.
• Continuing the youth-driven Stroke Ambassador Program focused on stroke education across the Chattahoochee Valley.

Northside High School was selected as the host site for its strong alignment with community service and health education, including its partnerships with EMS to train students as firefighters and its Magnet Biomedical program.

Why this program is important

Every 40 seconds, someone in the U.S. has a stroke, and it is the fifth leading cause of death and a leading cause of adult disability in the U.S. A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts. When that happens, part of the brain cannot get the blood and oxygen it needs, so brain cells die. Two out of three people with diabetes die from heart disease or stroke.

Know the signs and symptoms:

• It's important to "BE FAST" as early detection and treatment are key to improving survival, minimizing disability and speeding up recovery time:
• B: Balance- watch for dizziness or loss of balance
• E: Eyes- check for vision loss or double vision
• F: Face- look for an uneven smile
• A: Arm- check if one arm is weak
• S: Speech- listen for slurred speech
• T: Time- call 911 at the first sign of a stoke

Award-winning, lifesaving stroke care in Columbus

Earlier in 2026, Piedmont Columbus Regional received four achievement awards from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association for implementing quality improvement measures that ensure stroke and diabetes patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines.

Piedmont Columbus Midtown and Northside received the following achievement awards:

• Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Gold Plus Award, with Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite
• Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll

Additionally, Piedmont Columbus Midtown continues to be designated as a Primary Plus Stroke Center, meeting specific scientific guidelines featuring a comprehensive system for rapid diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients admitted to the emergency department.

Visit Piedmont.org/stroke for more information about stroke care at Piedmont.