The international public health programme FAST Heroes has entered a new phase in Rijeka, Croatia, with first-grade pupils from Eugen Kumičić Elementary School becoming the first participants this year. Created by the Angels Initiative and endorsed by the European Stroke Organization, the programme is implemented in Croatia by the Rijeka Clinical Hospital Center in cooperation with local elementary schools.
Following its launch at Eugen Kumičić Elementary School, the project will continue in the Gornja Vežica, Srdoči, Nikola Tesla, and Gelsi elementary schools, reaching approximately 380 students in total.
The primary aim of the initiative is to increase awareness of stroke prevention and educate young children to recognise the key symptoms of stroke. By doing so, the programme empowers students to help identify warning signs within their families and the wider community, contributing to faster recognition and response.
The educational programme is built around the recognition of four key stroke symptoms represented by the acronym FAST: Face (facial drooping), Arms (arm weakness), Speech (speech difficulties), and Time, which highlights the importance of immediate action. Because rapid response is crucial for treatment that facilitate the patient’s recovery and quality of life, children are taught to call the emergency number 112 immediately if they notice any of these warning signs.
The Head of the Neurology Clinic at Rijeka Clinical Hospital Center, Assoc. Prof. Prim. Dr. Sc. Vladimira Vuletić, expressed satisfaction with the programme’s success, noting that the comprehensive approach to prevention, treatment, education, and public health activities at the hospital has helped make Primorje-Gorski Kotar County the first Angels Region in Croatia.
She emphasised that while rapid emergency medical response is essential once a stroke is suspected, the first and most critical step is recognising the symptoms at home. By educating children to identify these warning signs, the FAST Heroes programme empowers them to play an important role in helping family members and communities respond quickly and potentially save lives.
The educational programme is conducted over a five-week period, with one lesson each week. The initiative begins with online training sessions for teaching staff led by neurologists from Rijeka Clinical Hospital Center, joined by specialists from the Clinical Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, headed by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Slavica Kovačić.
Teachers then present the material to students in a simple, engaging, and age-appropriate manner.
To support learning, pupils receive specially designed workbooks and educational materials in Croatian, where each stroke symptom is represented by an animated superhero character, helping children understand and remember the key warning signs.
At the conclusion of the five-week programme, participating students receive T-shirts featuring the message “Brain as a Superhero.” The shirts serve as a reminder of the four main stroke symptoms, how to recognise them, and the emergency number to call in case of a suspected stroke.
The Principal of Eugen Kumičić Elementary School, Ana Anić Opašić, M.Sc., expressed pride that the school’s first- and second-grade pupils were involved in the initiative. She emphasised that projects such as FAST Heroes are particularly valuable because they strengthen cooperation between the education and healthcare sectors while promoting a common goal: protecting and improving public health through knowledge, awareness, and early intervention.
