Survive Stroke Week 2025: Raising Awareness in Hispanic Communities About Stroke Symptoms

Survive Stroke Week 2025: A Crucial Awareness Campaign

May 4-10, 2025, is not just another week on the calendar, but rather an important time for raising awareness about strokes, particularly in Hispanic communities across the United States. Stroke is recognized as a leading cause of mortality for both Hispanic men and women, ranking fourth and third respectively. Despite these alarming statistics, many remain unaware of the symptoms that indicate an impending stroke.

According to the latest reports from the CDC, only 58% of Hispanic adults can identify the signs of a stroke—a stark contrast to 64% of Black adults and 71% of white adults. The statistics highlight a significant educational gap that initiatives like Survive Stroke Week aim to address.

The Importance of Stroke Awareness

The human brain can suffer irreversible damage every minute during a stroke, making timely recognition and intervention essential. The campaign will leverage the Spanish acronym RÁPIDO, modeled on the widely used English acronym BE FAST, to facilitate awareness among Spanish-speaking groups. RÁPIDO stands for:
- Rostro caído (Facial drooping)
- Álteración del equilibrio (Balance loss)
- Pérdida de fuerza en el brazo (Arm weakness)
- Impedimento visual repentino (Sudden vision impairment)
- Dificultad para hablar (Speech difficulty)
- Obtenga ayuda rápido (Get help quickly)

This approach not only aids in identifying stroke symptoms, but it also emphasizes the urgency of acting fast by calling 911.

Background on the Campaign

Launched in 2016, the Get Ahead of Stroke® campaign has been pivotal in promoting education and advocacy for stroke care standards across the nation. While many organizations emphasize prevention strategies during Stroke Awareness Month, Survive Stroke Week focuses explicitly on educating communities about recognizing symptoms and accessing treatments. This comprehensive approach is crucial, especially given the rising incidence of strokes among the Hispanic population since 2013.

Research shows that a concerningly smaller number of Hispanic patients, only 28.9%, manage to seek medical help within the critical first three hours following the onset of symptoms, compared to 37.4% of white patients. This delay can reduce the efficacy of interventions and the overall outcome of care.

Get Involved

The community is encouraged to participate actively in this year's Survive Stroke Week through awareness campaigns, local health fairs, educational workshops, and social media outreach. For medical professionals, including prominent stroke surgeons, interviews and collaborations are available to shed further light on the importance of addressing these disparities in stroke care. For inquiries, reach out via email at [email protected] or by calling 202-248-5460.

The Get Ahead of Stroke® initiative is dedicated to improving outcomes for stroke patients by fostering public awareness and engagement. It has joined forces with various organizations to advocate for policy changes and resources that aim to support all stroke patients effectively. Follow the campaign on Facebook, X, and Instagram to stay updated on events and strategies.

As Stroke Awareness Month approaches, let us all take part in illuminating the path to a more informed and healthier community. Remember: recognizing stroke symptoms can save lives, so let us spread the word and make a difference together!