Beatty Kicks Off Month-Long Advocacy on Stroke Awareness and Prevention

Beatty Kicks Off Month-Long Advocacy on Stroke Awareness and Prevention

Introduces Legislation to Create National Stroke Awareness Month

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (OH-03) introduced a bill that would designate May as Stroke Awareness Month, H.Res. 256. The resolution is supported by The National Stroke Association and The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association as well as a bipartisan coalition of 16 Members of Congress.

"As a stroke survivor, I understand the magnitude of this disease and it's often life changing effects. Stroke touches hundreds of thousands of American families each year," said Rep. Beatty. "As we increase awareness, we must also ensure the treatments and outcomes for stroke, traumatic brain injuries, and neurological disorders are appropriately researched and funded, because stroke can strike anyone."

According to the Centers for Disease Control, one person dies from stroke every 4 minutes and every 40 seconds someone suffers a stroke in the United States. Currently, stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in our country, killing nearly 130,000 Americans per year. The medical costs of stroke are $17.5 billion annually and lost productivity costs are $16.1 billion annually. African-Americans are particularly at-risk for stroke due to factors such as high rates of elevated blood pressure, diabetes, and family history.

"I know all too well how stroke impacts families and I applaud Congresswoman Beatty for spearheading this effort to raise awareness," said Congressman Pat Tiberi (OH-12). "Knowledge of the warning signs and risk factors of stroke is important for all Americans and helps improve outcomes."

"The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association is proud to partner with Rep. Beatty in the fight against cardiovascular disease," said American Heart Association/American Stroke Association President Elliott Antman, M.D. "We look forward to continuing our work with her and other lawmakers to improve stroke treatment and recovery through more advances in research and the quality of care. The association applauds Rep. Beatty's efforts today to further raise awareness about stroke -- the No. 5 killer of Americans and the leading preventable cause of long-term disability."

"It is critical that all Americans know the signs and symptoms of stroke and act FAST," added National Stroke Association CEO Matt Lopez. "We support this effort to help raise awareness about stroke and support the millions of stroke survivors and their families across the U.S."

In March, Rep. Beatty (OH-03) spearheaded an effort and was joined by 21 additional Members of Congress to urge $1.6 billion in funding for the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke to support research to improve our fundamental understanding of the nervous system and leverages that knowledge to reduce the burden of neurological disorders, including stroke. The letter is available HERE.