National Stroke Awareness Month
National Stroke Awareness Month May 2009
National Stroke Awareness Month is an annual event held within the United States. The aim of National Stroke Awareness Month is to make Americans aware that they may be able to 'Save A Life' of a person experiencing a stroke.
The National Stroke Awareness Month is run by the National Stroke Association who help individuals 'Save A Life' by educating them about:
- stroke risk factors
- stroke symptoms
- stroke preventative measures
National Stroke Awareness Month is also a timely reminder of stroke survivors and how organizations such as the National Stroke Association supports stroke survivors through their lifelong journey of recovery.
The National Stroke Awareness Month program places emphasis on making the public aware about Acting FAST.
According to the National Stroke Association, a person experiencing a stroke can be treated if people have acted FAST - 80% of strokes can also be prevented.
FAST being an acronym for things to check in a suspected stroke victim:
- F - Face / Does the face droop on one side when the person smiles?
- A - Arm / After raising both arms, does one of the arms drift downwards?
- S - Speech /After repeating a simple phrase, does the persons speech sound slurred or strange?
- T - Time / If any or all of the above are observed call for 9-1-1 (if in US or 999 in UK) and ask for medical assistance.
