Virginia Mason Federal Way Medical Center

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May is Stroke Awareness Month. Here's an important fact: high blood pressure is the number one risk factor for stroke an...
05/31/2026

May is Stroke Awareness Month. Here's an important fact: high blood pressure is the number one risk factor for stroke and the most preventable.

About 1 in 3 American adults have high blood pressure, and many don't even know it. High blood pressure often has no warning signs, which is why it's called the "silent killer." Over time, uncontrolled high blood pressure damages blood vessels and increases your risk of stroke significantly.

The good news? High blood pressure is highly manageable. You can take control of your health through simple steps.

Lifestyle changes that help control blood pressure include eating a heart-healthy diet low in sodium, staying physically active, maintaining a healthy weight, managing stress, limiting alcohol, and quitting smoking if you use to***co.

Don't wait for a health crisis. Get your blood pressure checked today and start taking steps to protect your brain health.

Learn more about stroke prevention: https://ow.ly/Q73w50Z5XTW

As Stroke Awareness Month comes to a close, we want to thank our incredible stroke team at Virginia Mason Franciscan Hea...
05/31/2026

As Stroke Awareness Month comes to a close, we want to thank our incredible stroke team at Virginia Mason Franciscan Health for their dedication to saving lives and reducing disability every single day.

From our neurologists and neurosurgeons to our emergency department staff, nurses, rehabilitation specialists, and support teams, your expertise, compassion, and rapid response make the difference between life and death for stroke patients.

But stroke awareness doesn't end with May. The need for vigilance continues all year long.

Remember, up to 80% of strokes are preventable. Take control of the risk factors you can change: manage your blood pressure, know your cholesterol levels, stay physically active, maintain a healthy weight, don't smoke, and limit alcohol. If you have AFib or other heart conditions, work closely with your provider to manage your risk.

Know the BE FAST warning signs and don't hesitate to call 911 if you suspect a stroke. Every second counts.

Learn more about stroke prevention and care: vmfh.org/stroke

Your health matters. Stay vigilant all year long.

May is Stroke Awareness Month. Recognizing the warning signs of stroke could save a life, and every second counts when s...
05/29/2026

May is Stroke Awareness Month. Recognizing the warning signs of stroke could save a life, and every second counts when symptoms appear.

Know the BE FAST warning signs so you can act immediately if you or someone near you shows symptoms:

Balance loss - Sudden loss of balance or coordination
Eyes - Sudden vision changes in one or both eyes
Face drooping - Does one side of the face droop or feel numb
Arm weakness - Is one arm weak or numb
Speech difficulty - Is speech slurred, incoherent, or impossible
Time to call 911 - If any of these symptoms appear, call 911 immediately

The key word is sudden. Stroke symptoms develop quickly. Don't wait to see if symptoms go away on their own. Don't try to drive to the hospital. Call 911 immediately and note the time symptoms started. That information matters because certain treatments work best when given within a few hours of symptom onset.

In the United States, someone has a stroke every 40 seconds. Being able to recognize these signs and act fast can mean the difference between life and death, or between recovery and long-term disability.

Learn more about stroke prevention and warning signs: vmfh.org/stroke

Time is brain. Know the signs. Call 911.

Jamila Taylor, a Washington state representative, had a stroke nearly a year ago. She was on a conference call when she ...
05/28/2026

Jamila Taylor, a Washington state representative, had a stroke nearly a year ago. She was on a conference call when she suddenly lost consciousness. Emergency responders arrived at her home within minutes and transported her to Virginia Mason Franciscan Health where she received life-saving treatment. Lori Cloud, a neuro-trauma ICU nurse at St. Joseph Medical Center, helped care for Jamila while she was inpatient at St. Joseph Medical Center.

Lori’s journey into nursing, particularly into critical care, was deeply personal. After losing her father to a heart attack at 9 years old, she felt a calling to be there for others on their worst days. That day changed her life, and her life trajectory pivoted her toward nursing.

They reunited at T-Mobile Park to raise awareness for stroke. Lori took to the mound to throw the ceremonial first pitch at a Seattle Mariners this May.

We are honored to recognize Lori Cloud – a dedicated nurse, a compassionate leader, a loving mom, a passionate baseball fan, and a true champion for both her patients and her profession.

The 1st Annual Neurosciences and Spine Symposium brought together over 200 healthcare professionals from across the regi...
05/27/2026

The 1st Annual Neurosciences and Spine Symposium brought together over 200 healthcare professionals from across the region for an inspiring day of learning and collaboration at the Meydenbauer Center in Bellevue.

This was Virginia Mason Franciscan Health's highest-attended symposium to date, reflecting the growing demand for multidisciplinary education and innovation in healthcare.

A standout moment came during the keynote conversation between Seattle Seahawks legend Marcus Trufant and Dr. Philip Louie, spine surgeon at Virginia Mason Franciscan Health. Their discussion brought a personal perspective to the clinical education, reminding us that neurological and spine conditions can affect anyone, regardless of background or profession.

The event showcased the power of collaboration, featuring case-based learning, multidisciplinary panel discussions, and focused debates that gave healthcare providers practical, evidence-based insights to apply immediately in patient care.

Thank you to everyone who made this inaugural event possible and to all the healthcare professionals who joined us. We're already looking forward to next year's symposium!

May is Stroke Awareness Month. It's important to know that stroke doesn't affect everyone equally. African Americans hav...
05/26/2026

May is Stroke Awareness Month. It's important to know that stroke doesn't affect everyone equally. African Americans have a high risk of having a stroke.

This disparity is driven by higher rates of controllable risk factors including high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and sickle cell disease. High blood pressure, the leading cause of stroke, affects African Americans at significantly higher rates and often develops earlier in life.

The good news is that many of these risk factors can be managed through lifestyle changes and medical treatment. Regular blood pressure checks, managing diabetes, maintaining a healthy weight, staying physically active, and working with your healthcare provider can dramatically reduce your stroke risk.

Know the BE FAST warning signs: Balance loss, Eyes (vision changes), Face drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulty, Time to call 911.

St. Joseph Medical Center is lit in red, white, and blue to honor Memorial Day and remember the brave men and women who ...
05/25/2026

St. Joseph Medical Center is lit in red, white, and blue to honor Memorial Day and remember the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.

To the families who have lost loved ones in military service, we honor your strength and hold you in our thoughts today and always.

05/23/2026

"I was sick and tired of being sick and tired." Chris Browning carried that thought for years as his weight climbed to 368 pounds, bringing Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and sleep apnea along with it.

After retiring from the Navy, Chris became sedentary and tried every fad diet imaginable. "For a long time, I was the definition of insanity, doing the same things over and over again and expecting a different result," he admits. Even GLP-1 medication left him feeling sick with minimal results.

In 2023, Chris turned to the Center for Weight Management at Virginia Mason Franciscan Health in Silverdale. After initially hesitating, he decided on gastric bypass surgery in April 2024.
"I have no regrets," Chris says today. "I was scared, but I look back now with complete success. I wouldn't change a thing."

Chris has lost an incredible 150 pounds and kept it off. But he wants people to understand that surgery isn't "the easy way out."

"It's a life-long plan," Chris emphasizes. "The journey doesn't end with surgery. It truly begins once you lose the weight."

Today, Chris exercises regularly, follows a healthy diet, and credits the program's support group as essential to his success. Led by Keriann Dunning, Bariatric Program Coordinator at St. Michael Medical Center, the group meets every second Wednesday of the month.

"Everyone shares and learns from each other's experiences," Chris explains. "I always leave feeling reinvigorated, remotivated, and simply better."

"For the first time in my life I feel confident," he shares. "This change hasn't just been physical. It's been about seeing myself in a new, empowered way."

Read Chris's full story at https://ow.ly/so5U50Z1IN0.

St. Joseph Medical Center shines bright in blue to honor EMS Week and celebrate the dedicated emergency medical services...
05/23/2026

St. Joseph Medical Center shines bright in blue to honor EMS Week and celebrate the dedicated emergency medical services professionals who save lives every day.

From paramedics and EMTs to dispatchers and first responders, EMS teams are often the first on the scene during critical moments. Their quick thinking, expert skills, and compassionate care make the difference between life and death for countless patients in our community.

Thank you to all EMS professionals for your courage, dedication, and tireless commitment to serving our community. We see you, we appreciate you, and we're honored to work alongside you.

In honor of Stroke Awareness Month, meet Dr. Robert Ast, Chief of Staff, Emergency Department at St. Michael Medical Cen...
05/22/2026

In honor of Stroke Awareness Month, meet Dr. Robert Ast, Chief of Staff, Emergency Department at St. Michael Medical Center, who shares why he's passionate about stroke care.

"I have always loved solving puzzles. Whether it is a jigsaw puzzle where you have to take small pieces and make them into the entire picture, a crossword puzzle where you are given clues to make everything fit, a word search where you have to filter out the extra parts, or a sudoku where you have many missing pieces and need to figure out what isn’t there, the mental exercise and feeling of success when you get it right is stimulating.

Medicine, especially Emergency Medicine, represents another puzzle. When I first meet a patient I have to rapidly decipher the clues they provide when they tell me what is bothering them, tie in the hints from my physical exam, select the right tests and imaging to further narrow down the diagnosis, and use all of this information to make them feel better and treat the underlying cause. A patient experiencing a stroke represents another puzzle.

Patient’s may have difficulty communicating, which itself can be a clue to the location of the stroke. We rapidly determine what the patient can and cannot do to determine the severity of the stroke. We get a stat CT scan to look for bleeding. We then use all these clues to determine whether the patient would best be treated with clot busting drugs, physical removal of a large clot, control of blood pressure, reducing pressure on the brain from bleeding, and other treatments that will give them the highest chance of recovering function.

To me, the practice of medicine represents the ultimate puzzle, with the added benefit that when you solve the puzzle, you are improving someone’s life. This is why I got into the practice of Emergency Medicine."

Learn more about stroke prevention and treatment at vmfh.org/stroke.

Address

33501 First Way S, Federal Way
Federal Way, WA
98003

Telephone

+12538382400

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