About National Stroke Awareness Month

In 1989 National Stroke Association received the Presidential Proclamation recognizing May as National Stroke Awareness Month (view a copy of the proclamation). The goal of this annual campaign is to ensure that all Americans understand they can "Save a Life" by knowing about stroke risk factors, prevention, symptom recognition and Acting F.A.S.T. to treat stroke. In addition, this is a time for remembering those who have survived a stroke and to let them know that National Stroke Association supports them throughout their lifelong recovery journey.

This year National Stroke Association will focus its efforts on educating the public to recognize stroke symptoms, and to Act F.A.S.T.

F = FACE	Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?
A = ARM	Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
S = SPEECH	Ask the person to repeat a simple phrase. Does the speech sound slurred or strange?
T = TIME	If you observe any of these signs, it’s time to call 9-1-1.

 

Are You Ready to Get Involved?

National Stroke Awareness Month is a great opportunity to educate your employees, friends, family and community about stroke. But it does require some planning ahead. Here are some questions to think about:

What can I do to raise stroke awareness during this time?
What can I do in my workplace?
What can I do in my community?

For ideas, visit the Q&A section of March/April 2008 StrokeSmart Magazine and the Stroke Awareness Month Event Ideas page.

Download Stroke Awareness Month Materials