Sevaro’s Children’s Health Literacy project

August 1, 2025
Health Equity & Engagement

Sevaro’s Children’s Health Literacy project

Interview with Dr. Raj Narula

Dr. Rajiv Narula, a stroke neurologist and founder of Sevaro, has taken an unconventional approach to prevention : educating children. In this interview, he discusses how a personal experience with his young son led to the creation of a children’s book that teaches early stroke recognition through a simple, relatable story. Dr. Narula shares insights into how creative outreach, family collaboration, and community-based education can spark broader conversations around health equity and prevention-starting with the youngest members of our society.

From the Editors

What inspired you to conceive of B.E.F.A.S.T. and the idea that small children could learn some basic neurology?

As a stroke doctor, I’m on the receiving end of patients in the emergency room who come in paralyzed from a stroke. Most people in our country don’t know how to recognize the signs of stroke, however, so by the time they reach the hospital it’s too late. Research is showing strokes in younger populations. We know that parents and grandparents are the highest risk population for stroke. Well, I thought, what if we taught their children what to do in an emergency if someone in their family suddenly had symptoms? BEFAST is an acronym (Balance, Eyes, Face, Arm, Speech, and Time) that is widely used in hospitals across the country. It’s simple to remember. I read books to my son all the time. He watches me treat patients from home through virtual neurology. He knows this very well and he’s only 5 years old. I wanted to teach other kids what he knew so we decided to write a book about it.

Describe how you and your son collaborated.

We thought of a story that could be relatable to make learning the signs fun, rather than serious. So we thought of a story where a child was sitting with his grandparent and noticed something was wrong. We wanted to show kids what to do, but make it simple, to the point of how to dial 911 from a mobile phone. We wanted to make sure they knew if they did this, they could be superheroes – something many kids relate to and aspire to be from an early age. As a society, we glorify superheroes, good over evil. Well, our children can be real life superheroes. The child in the book looks like my son. We added pictures of our twin girls in the book to make this personal for us. Something my son and I could look back years later on a project we worked on together. We spent almost one year in writing the script, getting the illustrations done, making revisions until it was finally published. We never expected such overwhelming support and are so grateful to have organizations reach out to partner with us to help educate and empower one million kids.

You mentioned creating a story that would make learning the signs of stroke “fun, rather than serious.”

When a family member suddenly stops talking, falls, or can’t move her arm, it’s terrifying. We wanted kids to know that helping doesn’t have to be complicated or scary-it can be simple and empowering. By showing them exactly what to do in the story, we’re helping them feel prepared, not afraid, when faced with a real-life situation. We also made sure to portray the EMS and hospital teams as friendly and supportive, so kids understand their family member is in good hands. Kids have a lot of intuition and courage, and we wanted to meet them at that level.

Why did you think that creating this book was important?

Every 40 seconds someone has a stroke; every 4 minutes someone dies of a stroke. It’s a leading cause of disability. We can change that through education and awareness. If every household in our country knows how to recognize the signs and call 911 immediately, we can get these patients to a hospital and treat them. The faster we treat stroke patients, the higher the chance of reversing the paralysis and saving their life.

Have you received any memorable feedback from a family, teacher, or young reader that reminded you why this project matters?

Yes, this feedback hit close to home for us. Our nanny’s daughter grabbed the book when she saw her grandmother struggling to walk, and that quick thinking helped get her grandmother to the hospital, where she was diagnosed with a TIA, a mini-stroke. My son witnessed this firsthand, seeing the direct impact his book had in a real emergency. It was a powerful moment that reinforced why this project is so important.

At NexBioHealth, many of our readers are students or early-career physicians eager to make a broader impact. As a physician- innovator, what advice would you give to trainees who want to step beyond traditional roles and create meaningful change in their communities?

If you have an idea, start working on it immediately. There are so many resources, tools, and people who want to see you succeed. My best advice is to look for problems to solve in your daily work-big or small. Adopt a solution-oriented mindset to everything you do. Mindset is everything. Don’t wait for the perfect moment; start now and refine as you go.

We often explore the human side of medicine at NexBioHealth. How has working on this book with your son shaped your perspective as a physician, parent, and advocate for community health?

Seeing the support and overwhelming response to this book has renewed my appreciation for how people can come together for a common goal, regardless of race, religion, location, or politics. When we channel our energy toward helping others without expecting anything in return- practicing seva-good things happen in unexpected ways. It’s a lesson I hope the next generation, including my son, will carry forward.

At NexBioHealth, we’re interested in how storytelling and technology can reach underserved communities. What role do you see for these tools in advancing health literacy and prevention?

I believe storytelling and technology are key to bridging health gaps in underserved communities. Stories are powerful because they connect with people emotionally and make complex health topics accessible and memorable. Technology can then amplify these stories-through videos, interactive apps, social media, or virtual outreach-so they reach kids and families wherever they are. The combination of relatable storytelling and accessible technology can build trust, inspire action, and empower communities to take charge of their health.

Looking ahead, how do you envision scaling or adapting this work to empower even more kids and families-particularly those in communities that may be overlooked by traditional public health efforts?

We’re actively working to expand this effort by recruiting high school and college students nationwide to become Stroke Ambassadors. These students will bring the message of stroke awareness directly into their communities. With our partnership with Yale University, we’re offering a $50,000 education stipend to help students innovate and find new ways to spread these messages. By working with young leaders who understand their communities best, we hope to reach even the most underserved areas and truly make a difference.

Rajiv Narula, MD

Founder & CEO, Sevaro

Dr. Narula’s passion for healthcare and technology has established him as one of today’s most impactful healthcare leaders. With his experience from University of California, San Diego and as former Director of Teleneuroscience at Cooper University Hospital, his goal is to make neurological care accessible and affordable to those who need it the most. His vision is to take proven methodologies while combining data, logistics and compassion to improve patient outcomes.

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Sevaro’s Children’s Health Literacy project

What inspired you to conceive of B.E.F.A.S.T. and the idea that small children could learn some basic neurology?

Describe how you and your son collaborated.

You mentioned creating a story that would make learning the signs of stroke “fun, rather than serious.”

Why did you think that creating this book was important?

Have you received any memorable feedback from a family, teacher, or young reader that reminded you why this project matters?

At NexBioHealth, many of our readers are students or early-career physicians eager to make a broader impact. As a physician- innovator, what advice would you give to trainees who want to step beyond traditional roles and create meaningful change in their communities?

We often explore the human side of medicine at NexBioHealth. How has working on this book with your son shaped your perspective as a physician, parent, and advocate for community health?

At NexBioHealth, we’re interested in how storytelling and technology can reach underserved communities. What role do you see for these tools in advancing health literacy and prevention?

Looking ahead, how do you envision scaling or adapting this work to empower even more kids and families-particularly those in communities that may be overlooked by traditional public health efforts?

Rajiv Narula, MD

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