National Stroke Awareness Month
Recognizing sudden signs, staying informed, and acting swiftly can save lives, fostering stroke awareness and prevention.
Position your brand as a stroke-prevention partner by educating audiences on F.A.S.T. warning signs and emergency response during May's national awareness push.
- F.A.S.T. infographic: teach Face, Arm, Speech, Time recognition in 60 seconds
- Survivor stories: how early detection changed lives—partner with local hospitals
- Webinar series: stroke risk factors and prevention for high-risk demographics
- Community screening events: partner with clinics to offer free stroke risk assessments
National Stroke Awareness Month was first officially celebrated in 1989 when it was signed into presidential proclamation by US President George H. W. Bush. But the event was unofficially observed many years prior, with the same purpose of raising public awareness and educating Americans about the warning signs and symptoms of stroke, prevention of stroke, and the impact that stroke can have on the survivors, families and those who are caregivers.
In addition to official recognition by the US government, National Stroke Awareness Month is also supported and celebrated by the National Stroke Association, the American Heart Association, the Centers for Disease Control and other non-profit organizations as well as various hospitals, doctor’s offices and other medical professionals. All of these groups and organizations work together to provide education and resources to all of the people who can learn from it.
Learn Stroke Signs and Symptoms
One of the most important ways to participate in National Stroke Awareness Month is the process of educating individuals about the ways to spot the possibility of a stroke in a family member, coworker or friend. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), there are a number of different signs that a person may be having a stroke, including these: Sudden numbness or weakness on one side of the face, arm or legSudden difficulty seeing, in one or both eyes, possibly accompanied by headacheSudden confusion that might include trouble speaking or difficulty understanding speechSudden difficulty with walking including loss of balance, dizziness or loss of coordination To help people remember the signs and symptoms, people can use the acronym F.A.S.T., which stands for Face (drooping), Arm (weakness), Speech (slurred), Time. In this case, the Time represents the idea of calling 9-1-1 immediately if any of these signs are observed.
Host Stroke Awareness Events
The month of May is a great time to get medical professionals, community members and others involved with increasing education and knowledge in relation to National Stroke Awareness Month. Schools, universities, medical providers, libraries and other community centers can host events that offer opportunities to improve education on the topic of strokes, through lectures, webinars, family medical awareness events and more. The American Stroke Association, a division of the American Heart Association, offers resources on their website, including infographics for people that can be used for educational purposes.