A stroke — either a blockage of blood flow to the brain or bleeding in the brain — is a medical emergency that requires immediate treatment. The two types of stroke are treated differently but can only be distinguished by CT image in an emergency department or hospital.  

As Medical Director of CommonSpirit Comprehensive Stroke Center, Joshua VanDerWerf, M.D., a neuro critical care doctor specializing in the care of patients during their hospital stay, has seen stroke cause irreversible brain damage, disability and, in some cases, death.  

“The brain damage from stroke occurs very quickly, making time to treatment the single most important factor for ensuring good outcomes,” said Dr. VanDerWerf. “That is why it is important to recognize any stroke symptoms quickly and get to care as fast as possible,” said Dr. VanDerWerf. 

Risk Factors for stroke 

Certain lifestyle choices, medical conditions, family history, age, ethnicities, medicines, and therapies can contribute to risk for stroke.  

“The main risk factors for stroke are the same as cardiovascular disease: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, diabetes, obesity, and sedentary lifestyles,” said Dr. VanDerWerf. “The most important thing to know is how to recognize symptoms of a stroke … and calling 9-1-1 immediately.” 

Symptoms of a stroke 

• Trouble speaking or complete loss of speech 
• Comprehension difficulties 
• Confusion and agitation 
• Numbness, weakness or paralysis of the face, arm, or leg 
• Visual challenges – blurred, blackened or double vision 
• Sudden, severe headache accompanied by dizziness, and a change in consciousness 
• Stumbling, losing balance or coordination or trouble walking 
• Memory loss
• Seizures 

 
If you think someone is having a stroke, do the following, related to the BE FAST acronym: 
B=Balance: Has the person experienced a sudden loss of balance or coordination? 
E=Eyes: Has there been a sudden change of vision in one or both eyes? 

F=Face: Ask the person to smile. Does one side of their face droop? 
A=Arms: Ask the person to raise both arms. Is one arm not lifted or drifting downward? 
S=Speech: Ask the person to repeat a simple phrase. Is their speech slurred? Different than usual? 
T=Time: Call 911 or emergency medical help immediately; do not drive to the hospital! Stroke treatment is time-sensitive, with significantly better outcomes when treatment is administered as quickly as possible.  

CommonSpirit Health’s Colorado Stroke Centers

When stroke patients go to a CommonSpirit Stroke Center, they will receive immediate medical attention that is comprehensive and compassionate. The team’s response is rapid, treatment capabilities are advanced, and the process is efficient, delivering an exceptional experience for patients from the moment they arrive. 

CommonSpirit – Penrose Hospital at 2222 N. Nevada Ave. in Colorado Springs is a DNV Designated Comprehensive Stroke Center, addressing the full spectrum of stroke care, from diagnosis to treatment, rehabilitation, and education. This is the highest level of designation a hospital can receive for interdisciplinary emergency stroke care.  

CommonSpirit St. Francis Hospital at 6001 E. Woodmen Road is designated as a DNV Primary Stroke Center.

“No matter the time of day, there is a specialized team available to respond to all stroke alerts presenting to our hospital. We work together to ensure patients are evaluated by a neurologist, obtain neuro-imaging, and appropriate advanced treatments as fast as possible,” said Dr. VanDerWerf. “We have been recognized for the past three consecutive years for our time to treatment by receiving the highest designation of Target Stroke-Honor Roll Elite-Plus from the American Stroke Association.” 

A patient’s success story

Tom Heaney, a local muralist and veteran, experienced the high-quality, compassionate care from this specialized team at Penrose Hospital first-hand. In 2022, just after volunteering at the National Museum of World War II Aviation, Heaney came home and decided to grab a snack from the freezer in his garage. As he stepped into his garage, the world tilted and he found himself lying on the floor, unable to get up. Heaney’s military training — and a vision from God — kicked in. He fumbled for his cell phone and dialed 911. Moments later, paramedics were loading him into the back of the ambulance and transporting him to Penrose. The team was waiting and ready for Heaney. He was greeted by Liz Dienst, RN, stroke coordinator, who Heaney calls his “angel.”  According to Dienst, he arrived at the emergency room with a National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score of 12, indicating a large stroke. Imaging confirmed a large vessel occlusion, and they were able to treat him with both thrombolytics and mechanical thrombectomy. Immediately following the thrombectomy, his NIHSS score dropped to 1. He was sent home with an NIHSS score of 0, returning to his pre-stroke baseline. 

Three years later, he is still painting murals at the museum and his church in downtown Colorado Springs. Art is his therapy as he continues to navigate his new outlook on life after surviving a stroke. Looking back at the day of his stroke, Heaney said he counted seven miracles. “The ER at Penrose and the stroke team are two of those miracles,” he shared. 

The current — and future — resources and advanced treatments available at Penrose Hospital for stroke patients really differentiate the team and enable superior outcomes. “In addition to our advanced multidisciplinary stroke response systems, we are starting an integrated neuro-critical care service in February 2026,” said Dr. VanDerWerf. “This ensures that even the most severe stroke cases receive optimal care by fellowship trained, board certified neuro-intensivists who can ensure all body systems are working to avoid further brain injury during your care and recovery.” 

After a stroke 

Recovering from a stroke is an ongoing journey. Following a stroke, people may experience complications, from paralysis to trouble talking, swallowing, speaking clearly or eating. They may have trouble understanding speech, reading, or writing, memory loss or trouble thinking, reasoning, making judgments or understanding concepts. It may be difficult to control emotions; depression often develops, with patients becoming withdrawn and in need of assistance with the activities of daily living, including grooming and daily chores. It is only natural that patients feel sad and upset.  

Rehabilitation services include occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech therapy. Each case is unique; everybody responds differently, and recovery expectations are tied to how quickly the stroke was treated, what areas of the brain were affected, the type of stroke, and one’s overall health.  

At Penrose Hospital, a myriad of post-acute care, rehabilitation, and long-term support services are available for stroke survivors to help them regain function and resume their lives. The post-stroke continuum of care includes: 

• Inpatient rehabilitation: Intensive, post-acute therapy designed to facilitate a safe and successful return to daily life following a stroke. 
• Outpatient therapy: Continued therapeutic services delivered on an outpatient basis. 
• Support groups: Virtual and in-person support options for stroke survivors and their care partners.

Health care pro tips 

It is important to know your risk factors and follow your health care provider’s advice about healthy changes you can make to reduce your risk of stroke. Recommendations include: 

• Controlling hypertension, managing diabetes, and treating obstructive sleep apnea. 
• Lowering cholesterol and saturated fats in your diet and upping the number of fruits and vegetables or going on the Mediterranean diet, which emphasizes olive oil, fruits and nuts, vegetables, and whole grains. 
• Quitting smoking and illicit drug use, along with drinking alcohol in moderation (if at all). 
• Maintaining healthy weight through regular exercise and aerobic activity. 

“In order to lower your risk of stroke now, it is important to see your primary care provider regularly to ensure you are managing any risk factors for stroke and optimizing your health,” said Dr. VanDerWerf. 

Advancements in technology for stroke diagnosis, treatment and care have been significant and are ongoing.  “By far, the biggest improvements in acute stroke care are related to our ability to manually remove clots from arteries in the head and neck via minimally invasive endovascular techniques,” said Dr. VanDerWerf. “Additionally, we are implementing surgical options and bundled care for our intracerebral hemorrhage patients.” 

Community members can take comfort in knowing that access to the highest level of stroke care in the community exists to support them at CommonSpirit Penrose Hospital. “It provides our community peace of mind that if you or a loved one suffers a stroke in any form, you will receive exceptional standards of care in a timely manner right here in our community,” said Dr. VanDerWerf. “We also extend this expertise in supporting our rural communities through an integrated tele-neurology/stroke network. This expedites acute assessment and stroke treatment in local emergency departments, where time matters and then transports patients quickly to higher level of care at our Comprehensive Stroke Center.” 

Care at CommonSpirit is inspired by faith, driven by innovation, and powered by humanity. Learn more at CommonSpirit Health | Health Care in Colorado, Kansas & Utah.