Philadelphia (May 2002)— Stroke Awareness Month is a major collaborative effort between the American Stroke Association, a division of the American Heart Association, the Philadelphia Stroke Council, and various health organizations designed to teach people the risk factors for stroke. 

Magee Rehabilitation Hospital reminds the community to seek treatment immediately if any of the following warning signs of stroke arise: 

• Sudden weakness or numbness of the face, arm, or leg especially on one side of the body.
• Sudden severe headaches with no known cause.
• Loss of speech, or trouble talking or understanding speech.
• Sudden dimness or loss of vision, particularly in only one eye.
• Sudden unexplained dizziness, unsteadiness or loss of balance. 

Stroke is a devastating disease that takes an enormous toll on Americans.  It is the third leading cause of death in the United States and a leading cause of disability. Each year approximately 700,000 people suffer a new or recurrent stroke. On average, someone suffers a stroke in the United States every 53 seconds. Every 3.3 minutes, someone dies of stroke.