For the Angels mission to have national impact in Peru, we need to join forces with strategic allies with whom we share a devotion to life. On this journey we have found a very representative organization whose character and mysticism are fervently aligned with the fight against stroke. Knowing that nurses constitute one of the fundamental pillars within the chain of care, we forged an alliance with the College of Nurses of Peru (CEP), which currently represents more than 116,000 nurses throughout the country.
The CEP is committed to quality nursing care, the advancement of nursing knowledge, and the promotion of a highly competent workforce. They, along with the Angels Initiative, collaborated on a work program for 2024, which had both a scientific and community focus. The program focused on publicizing innovations, standards and new scientific evidence on the management of stroke, as well as the dissemination of information at the community level, with the goal to change the history of stroke in Peru where it is the leading cause of disability and the second leading cause of death.
Planning began in May 2024, with the participation of Dr Josefa Vásquez Cevallos, National Dean of the CEP, and Dr Rocío Taboada Pilco who leads the Scientific Committee. The milestones achieved as a result of this alliance are summarized below:
Connecting with nurses
During October, when World Stroke Day is observed, Angels had the opportunity to reach almost 400 nursing professionals at the CEP-organized Nursing Olympics. This annual sports and integration event, which brings together nurses from across Peru, became an ideal space to share information about stroke and the educational resources the Angeles Initiative makes available to health professionals.
The response was very positive, and we were grateful for the opportunity to reach so many nursing professionals in person.
A call to action in Jesús María
Also during October, two stroke symptom recognition campaigns were held in Jesús María, a centrally located district of Lima. Jesús María is the location of a certified stroke-ready centre, Edgardo Rebagliati Martins National Hospital, and a prospective Angels Region.
Although stroke is a public health problem that affects thousands of people in Peru, many are not aware of stroke symptoms or the need to act quickly. According to statistics, about 80 percent of patients cannot identify stroke symptoms, with devastating consequences such as disability and death. In an important step towards changing this reality, an event was held in Mercado del Distrito de Jesús María, where a joint brigade of Angels team members and nursing representatives engaged more than 250 housewives and heads of household in direct conversation about stroke symptom recognition and what to do in an emergency.
With equal success, in coordination with the District Municipality of Jesús María, a “Health Fair” was held at the Campo de Marte, a large park considered the ecological lung of Lima, which attracts large numbers of visitors and diverse activities. Here, more than 500 people learned how to recognize stroke symptoms through the distribution of informative materials, and group and individual talks by Angels consultants.
These campaigns in Jesús María are part of our awareness strategy to educate and sensitize the community on the importance of prevention and timely treatment of stroke. The community response was very positive, with many participants expressing appreciation for the information received. For us, it was a very rewarding and enriching experience.
International Congress of Nursing
The Angels Initiative had the honour of participating in VII International Congress of Nursing, an ideal space for highlighting the fundamental role of nurses in the care of patients with stroke. The congress was organized by the College of Nurses in Peru and held in the Center of Peruvian Chinese Friendship in the district of Jesús María.
This academic event brought together leading nursing experts including Dr Marla Gallo, a prestigious Lima neurologist and great ally of the Angels Initiative, whose scientific knowledge and experience in the treatment of stroke has been influential in encouraging health professionals and institutions to improve the management of stroke locally and internationally.
Dr Gallo’s presentation, “The power of nurses in the care of stroke patients”, highlighted the importance of timely and quality action by nurses and was attended by an audience of around 400 licensed nurses.
It was an honour to participate in this event and contribute to the strengthening of nursing in Peru.
Wednesday Scientists
During 2024 we also participated in “Scientific Wednesdays”, an initiative to share knowledge and experiences in the field of nursing and health via the official CEP platform, that offered another opportunity to advance the fight against stroke.
In July, September, October and November 2024, nationally recognized speakers presented scientific topics related to stroke, including international protocols and best practices, that were both live-streamed and recorded by the CEP. These recordings, which are hosted here have to date been viewed more than 16,000 times.
The Angels Academy
The Angels Initiative’s educational platform, the Angels Academy, has proven to be a valuable resource for nurses, doctors and other professionals seeking to improve their skills and knowledge in stroke care. The platform offers online courses, learning resources and tools to help professionals improve the quality of care they provide to patients.
The results obtained in 2024 are indicative of the success of the Angels-CEP collaboration. The number of registered nurses on the platform grew from 2,276 at the beginning of 2023 to 3776 by the end of 2024. Over the same period, the number of certified nurses grew by 265 percent from 571 to 1,514.
We believe that our partnership with the CEP and the activities developed in 2024 had a significant impact on these results. The collaboration with the CEP allowed us to reach more professionals, and activities such as Scientific Wednesdays and the Health Fair helped increase awareness, in turn leading to more health professionals becoming internationally certified in stroke nursing care.
That is why our alliance is a crucial step toward a better future for Peruvians. The CEP enters 2025 with new leadership, with whom we expect to strengthen ties and expand the scope of interventions. Together, we can make a big difference in fighting stroke and saving more lives; it is therefore essential for this effort to continue and grow.
