In 1989, during his tenure as the President of the United States, George Bush proclaimed the month of May as the National Stroke Awareness Month to develop public awareness about the causes, risks and effects of strokes. Since then, the month of May has been observed as the National Stroke Awareness Month within the United States to equip its citizens with valuable knowledge on stroke symptoms, helping save the lives of stroke victims.

During the month of May, agencies like the National Stroke Association and the National Heart Association organize classes and seminars to educate the general public on these three key aspects of stroke:

• Main symptoms of stroke
• Risk factors of stroke
• Measures to prevent stroke

Why Is Stroke Awareness Important?

Stroke is the third biggest cause of natural death and a major cause of severe adult disability in the United States. In fact, stroke strikes around 600,000 Americans every year. Many victims of massive strokes never fully get back their physical and mental capabilities. So, the basic goal of the stroke awareness campaign is to enhance public awareness about how to effectively manage the risk factors of stroke, understand how to react when a person exhibits stroke symptoms and contribute – in big or small ways – to improve the quality of life of stroke survivors.

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