Pauline McLynn calls on people to be aware of signs of stroke after losing both her parents

The actress lost her 86-year-old mother, Sheila, to a stroke last October, 17 years after a stroke also claimed the life of her father, Padraig, who was 69.

Actress Pauline McLynn is calling on people to be aware of the signs of a stroke, after losing both her parents to the medical condition (Belinda Jiao/PA)

Actress Pauline McLynn is calling on people to be aware of the signs of a stroke, after losing both her parents to the medical condition that results in more 6,000 hospital admissions in Ireland each year.

The Irish Heart Foundation is campaigning to raise awareness of the signs after figures showed that fewer than half of stroke sufferers get to hospital in time to receive what could be lifesaving treatment.