The global FAST Heroes community keeps growing bigger, so it’s inevitable that the shortlist of nominees for the annual FAST Heroes Awards keeps growing longer. At this year’s FAST Heroes summit in sunny Bucharest in Romania, the judges faced the daunting task of selecting the winners out of 40 nominees in five categories. Fortunately, the rules allowed them to pick more than one winner in each category – as you can tell from the rather long list of winners below.
WINNERS – GRANDPA ARMANDO’S AMAZING TEACHER AWARD
Teachers are the real heroes of society, and play a crucial role in the campaign to teach children and their grandparents about the signs of stroke.
Rovithakis Anastasios, Greece
Passionate and innovative educator Rovithakis Anastasios leads by example. He not only inspires his students and colleagues but also serves as a powerful link between students, parents, teachers, and the wider community. To ensure the program reached beyond the classroom, he organized an event to introduce the campaign to parents, and held a seminar with the local GP to explain stroke symptoms to the nearly 100 participants. In his classroom, Rovithakis engages students through hands-on activities, adapting materials to suit diverse backgrounds.
Helena Skutková, Czech Republic
Through her enthusiasm and creativity, Helena Skutková not only educated her students but helped spread life-saving stroke awareness throughout her community. Thanks to her leadership, the entire Prameny Primary School enthusiastically embraced the FAST Heroes program. Her creative and engaging approach — including teaching lessons in superhero costumes — captured students’ attention and made the learning experience unforgettable. She also collaborated with the local hospital and a local nursing home, and raised the campaign profile via social media.
The following nominees were highly commended in this category:
- Tanase Anica-Maria, Romania
- Ginka Lazarova, Bulgaria
- Sofia Psarra, Greece
WINNERS – TIMMY’S COMMITTED CHILD AWARD
This award celebrates the children who have shown exceptional FAST Heroes spirit by putting their campaign knowledge into action.
Ema, Czech Republic
After learning about stroke symptoms at her kindergarten, four-year-old Ema shared the knowledge at home,describing how Grandpa Franc had a drooping mouth, slurred speech, and couldn’t raise one arm. She even taught her family a rhyme she remembered from class, about the importance of acting quickly. In February 2025, Ema’s father recognised stroke symptoms in a colleague and immediately called an ambulance. Thanks to Ema’s knowledge sharing and her dad’sattentiveness, his colleague received critical treatment without delay.
Maya Duta Ionela, Romania
When first-grader Maya noticed her grandfather’s face was drooping, she ran to her mother and described what she had seen. Her family immediately called an ambulance, which in their rural setting saved crucial minutes. When Maya shared her story at school, she explained how the FAST Heroes campaign had taught her to recognize the symptoms. Maya’s teacher says her bravery has inspired her classmates to become more attentive to the well-being of their own grandparents. Maya not only protected her family but helped build a culture of care and vigilance among her peers.
A Grade 4-B class from Ukraine was highly commended in this category after they raised the alarm when one of their grandfathers became ill and fainted in the schoolyard.
WINNERS – TANYA’S TOP TEACHING CHILD AWARD
This award recognizes children who have displayed great enthusiasm for passing the knowledge learnt on to their family and loved ones.
Sofia Maria Barbu, Romania
A passionate and dedicated ambassador of the FAST Heroes campaign, Sofia’s combination of seriousness and childlike joy makes her an exceptional role model. At home, she eagerly shared everything she had learned, teaching her parents and grandparents about stroke signs and how to react quickly. At school, she became a source of inspiration for her classmates, using play, song, and mime to engage them in learning.
Eleni Choudi, Greece
Eleni stands out for the energy with which she brought the program’s life-saving message into her own home. After completing the campaign lessons, the 11-year-old taught her grandfather
how to recognise the warning signs of a stroke – a moment that was captured in a video her teacher shared with the FAST Heroes team. Edited and published on social media, the video sparked a wave of enthusiasm, with many teachers responding and expressing eagerness to implement the program in their schools.
The following nominees were highly commended in this category:
- Theodoros Kalaitzdis, Greece
- Yoana Martinova Dzhuneva, Bulgaria
- Simon Vomasta, Lenka Bujňáková & Naďa Orlická, Slovakia
WINNERS – SOPHIA’S ENGAGED GRANDPARENT AWARD
An award honouring grandparents who have earned their capes through their enthusiastic support for the campaign.
Theodoros Lazaridis Senior, Greece
Grandfather Theodore has been an active and engaged participant in the FAST Heroes campaign, enriching his grandchildren’s learning experience and expanding the program’s reach into the community. He took part in educational activities at home, watching videos, reading about stroke symptoms, and helping his grandchild understand the importance of fast action through interactive games and creative projects. Theodore also passed on what he had learned to the local Senior Citizens’ Open Care Center which he attends regularly.
Thanasis Dariotis, Greece
Thanasis learned about stroke symptoms from his granddaughter, Eleni Choudi. Teaching sessions led by Eleni not only helped him understand the FAST Heroes messages but strengthened their bond and showcased the campaign’s impact. Motivated by what he’d learned, Thanasis became a community advocate, sharing the information with family and friends. His involvement, captured in a touching video, reflects the campaign’s goal – informed grandparents who help spread awareness.
Granda Ine from Slovakia, whose passion for education and family involvement made a lasting impact, was highly recommended in this category.
WINNERS – FRANK’S ADULT ADVOCATE AWARD
Adult advocates help spread the word, encourage school participation, put campaign knowledge into action and serve as positive role models for other campaign advocates.
Simona Kratochvílová, Czech Republic
Simona is a model of passion, professionalism, and community spirit. This dedicated paramedic from the Karlovy Vary region contacted over 200 schools in her region to introduce them to the FAST Heroes campaign. Thanks to more than 20 percent of schools joining the program, Karlovy Vary met the criteria to become an Angels Region. Simona also skillfully leveraged Instagram, reaching tens of thousands with engaging posts promoting stroke awareness, and organized two large-scale educational events that reached over 600 children.
Mihail Nenov, Bulgaria
Mihail is Deputy Mayor for Education and Health of the Municipality of Burgas (the fourth largest city in Bulgaria). He played a crucial role in the successful implementation and expansion of the FAST Heroes program in his region, ensuring that the program reached every child aged 6 to 11 in the municipality. Under his coordination, over 11,000 children in 90 educational institutions received vital education about stroke symptoms and prevention, making Burgas the first Bulgarian municipality to achieve comprehensive coverage in the program’s initial stage.
Laura Barrios Rubio, Spain
Second-time nominee Laura is a dedicated nurse at the Ciudad Real Hospital Stroke Unit, and hasbeen a passionate and consistent advocate for the FAST Heroes campaign for two years. But in 2025, Laura's advocacy became personal. During regular weekend visits to her aunt and uncle, she would often share stories about the FAST Heroes sessions. So when on 4 January, her 60-year-old uncle Jerónimo suddenly showed signs of a stroke, her aunt immediately recognised the symptoms and called 112. Thanks to this rapid response, Jerónimo received treatment in time to make a full recovery.
Franco Groppali, Italy
Having survived a stroke 35 years ago, Franco is deeply committed to raising awareness about stroke prevention and the importance of acting FAST. Until recently, he served as president of the patient society A.L.I.Ce. in Lombardy, and under his leadership, Lombardy became the first region in Italy to adopt the FAST Heroes program. Despite physical difficulties, Franco personally visited schools to introduce the program to principals and speak directly to students. His powerful testimony helped children understand the urgency of early stroke intervention.
Sandra González, Spain
Sandra, a dedicated school nurse in Arucas, Gran Canaria, has educated nearly 800 students across three schools about stroke recognition and the importance of swift action. Her work goes beyond the classroom, as she has actively involved families in workshops. Sandra’s approach has empowered both children and their families to recognize the signs of a stroke and take immediate action, a critical step in potentially saving lives. Through her tireless efforts, Sandra has fostered a more informed, prepared, and proactive community.
The following nominees were highly commended in this category:
- Rita Marino, Italy
- Samuel Aguiar Santana, Spain
- Petya Stefanova, Bulgaria
