Racing Against the Clock: How One Stroke Educator Is Saving Lives Across Oklahoma

Stephanie Simpson, Community Stroke Educator at INTEGRIS Health Southwest Medical Center

Every second counts when someone is having a stroke.

Thanks to donors like you, one INTEGRIS Health caregiver is racing to educate communities before it’s too late.

Meet Stephanie Simpson, a community stroke educator at INTEGRIS Health Southwest Medical Center. She’s working to save lives across Oklahoma—one presentation at a time.

“Eighty percent of strokes can be prevented through education and lifestyle changes,” Stephanie said. “Yet many people in our community don’t know the signs of a stroke or what they can do to prevent one.”

That’s where you come in.

Because of your generous support of the INTEGRIS Health Foundation, Stephanie now has the equipment and materials she needs to reach our most at-risk neighbors.

Each month, she visits senior centers, veteran groups, and high-risk populations like the African American and Latino communities. With every visit, she teaches critical stroke warning signs, risk factors, and simple, life-saving changes people can make to lower their stroke risk.

You’re not only supporting her in-person work—you’re helping fund the development of stroke response protocols for EMS teams, firefighters, and police officers. You’re even helping translate her materials into Spanish so they reach more people than ever before.

Stephanie is clear about what’s at stake.

“Strokes are time-sensitive. Over half of people who have a stroke get to the hospital too late to receive life-saving medication and end up living with a debilitating condition.”

To further help patients, the team at INTEGRIS Health Jim Thorpe Rehabilitation Center (JTR) at Southwest Medical Center created a monthly stroke survivor support group. Stephanie and the JTR therapists help survivors and their caregivers navigate the emotional and physical challenges that follow a stroke.

And thanks to you, Stephanie can also offer free blood pressure screenings after her presentations—helping people take action on their health immediately.

Since August, more than 1,000 Oklahomans have learned about stroke prevention because of you.

Your support means more education, more connection—and most importantly, more lives saved.

Story by Zoee Zuerker