This post is being shared as part of a Bloggin’ Mamas for Social Good Campaign, completed in conjunction with Element Associates. 

Did you know that stroke is the fourth leading cause of death and the leading preventable cause of disability in the US? Each year, about 795,000 Americans suffer a new or recurrent stroke—that’s about one stroke every 40 seconds.

Have you ever had a family member who had a stroke? I had an aunt who experienced one and she was never the same afterward. She actually passed away soon after.

I looked it up and found some info from the University Hospital of New Jersey. I learned that: Stroke risk increases with age. For each decade after age 55, the risk of stroke doubles. Each year, 28 percent of people who suffer a stroke are under age 65. Many of you have parents and grandparents at risk, and you yourself might be at risk.

May is American Stroke Month, so Bloggin’ Mamas is working with the the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association and the Ad Council to raise awareness about F.A.S.T—an acronym used to recognize a stroke and what to do in a stroke emergency.

F.A.S.T. stands for:

• F – Face Drooping – Does one side of the face droop or is it numb? Ask the person to smile.
• A – Arm Weakness – Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
• S – Speech Difficulty – Is speech slurred? Are they unable to speak, or are they hard to understand? Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence like: “The sky is blue.” Is the sentence repeated correctly?
• T- Time to call 9-1-1 – If the person shows any of these symptoms, even if the symptoms go away, call 9-1-1 and get them to the hospital immediately.

When you recognize a stroke and immediately call 9-1-1, the person has a greater chance of getting to an appropriate hospital quickly and being assessed for treatment options like a clot-busting drug and other medical devices. But many people do not know the warning signs of a stroke – information that may save a life.

Here are some resources:

• Download the F.A.S.T. app for your smartphone at www.StrokeAssociation.org/warningsigns.

• Checkout the PSA  http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=wH7k5CFp4hI