May is American Stroke Month. A stroke occurs when a blood clot forms in the brain, or the brain begins to bleed. In the United States, someone will have a stroke every 40 seconds, and 1 in 6 people will have a stroke in their lifetime. [1]

Often, bystanders—a family member, friend, or even a stranger—is the first to recognize that someone may be having a stroke. The acronym my first aid instructor taught us to recognize signs of stroke is to think FAST!