Stroke Awareness – Act F.A.S.T.

Stroke Awareness can mean the difference between life and death. And, if you thought this was an issue reserved for the elderly, think again. Though it is MORE LIKELY to occur with people who are 65 and above, make no mistake about it: strokes can occur at ANY age! Stroke awareness – identifying the signs of stroke – and knowing what to do when someone is experiencing a stroke, is crucial to the potential life-saving response when this occurs.

GrantWatch wants to do everything possible to help increase stroke awareness by providing a list of stroke-related grants and other funding opportunities. GrantWatch also has a current list of nearly 2,300 grants in its Health and Medical grant listing category. Beyond that, there are also countrywide, and even international, grants that are available.

Some Fast Facts About Stroke Awareness

• Stroke risk increases with age, but strokes can – and do – occur at any age…34% of people hospitalized for stroke are less than 65 years old.
• Early action is important for stroke.
• In 2021, 1 in every 6 deaths from cardiovascular disease was due to stroke.
• Every 40 seconds, someone in the United States has a stroke. Every 3 minutes and 14 seconds, someone dies of stroke. Every year, more than 795,000 people in the United States have a stroke.
• Stroke-related costs in the United States came to nearly $56.5 billion between 2018 and 2019.
• Stroke is a leading cause of serious long-term disability…reduces mobility in more than half of stroke survivors age 65 and older. (cdc.gov, “Stroke Facts“)

Signs and Symptoms of a Stroke

During a stroke, every minute counts! Fast treatment can lessen the damage that stroke can cause. Here are some symptoms to look for:

• …numbness or weakness in the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body.
• …confusion, trouble speaking, or difficulty understanding speech.
• …trouble seeing in one or both eyes.
• …trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance, or lack of coordination.
• …severe headache with no known cause. cdc.gov, “Signs and Symptoms of Strokes“

Act F.A.S.T. to Seek Emergency Help

Act F.A.S.T. to help stroke patients get the treatment they need. If you think someone may be having a stroke, act F.A.S.T. and do the following test(s):

F – Face: Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?

A – Arms: Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?

S – Speech: Ask the person to repeat a simple phrase. Is the speech slurred or strange?

T – Time: If you see any of these signs, call 9 – 1 – 1 right away.

***Note the time when any symptoms first appear. This information helps health care providers determine the best treatment. Do not drive to the hospital or let someone else drive you. Call 9 – 1 – 1 for an ambulance so that medical personnel can begin life-saving treatment on the way to the emergency room. (cdc.gov, “Signs and Symptoms of Strokes“)

Below is a list of health and medical grants and other funding opportunities directly or indirectly focusing on stroke awareness-related issues.

Health and Medical Grants Related to Stroke Awareness

1. Neuroscience Research Education Programs – Grants to nonprofit and for-profit organizations, IHEs, and agencies for neuroscience research education programs, including stroke.
2. Research to Improve Pain Relief Therapeutics – Program promotes the discovery and validation of novel therapeutic targets to facilitate the development of pain therapeutics.
3. Promote Scientific Research Careers – Funding for nonprofit organizations, IHEs, and for-profit organizations to expand the workforce in the area of scientific research. It supports educational activities that help recruit individuals with disciplinary backgrounds in research careers in biomedical, behavioral, and clinical sciences.
4. Educational Activities to Benefit Individuals – The purpose of the program is to encourage individuals from underrepresented populations to pursue careers in research.
5. Agencies for Research – Funding for research projects on Alzheimer’s and related diseases, including stroke. It is intended to accelerate the development of effective therapies.

Additional Health and Medical Grants

1. Research Related to Biomarkers – Funding supports opportunities to support analytical methods used for measuring biomarkers for neurological disorders for use in clinical trials..
2. Research Projects Grants to nonprofit organizations, government agencies, IHEs, and for-profit organizations for health and mental health-related research projects conducted by diverse researchers.
3. Neuroscience Research Projects – Grants to nonprofits, government agencies, for-profit organizations, IHEs, and tribes for neuroscience research projects. Funding is for collaborative research projects.
4. Programs to Prevent and Reduce Tobacco Use – Up to $5,000 to community, youth, and faith-based organizations to develop and implement educational programs to prevent and reduce tobacco use which leads to cancer, cardiovascular disease, stroke, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
5. Community Health Programs – Grants to nonprofit organizations and government agencies for community health initiatives and programs that create positive and sustainable change. Funding is intended to improve the health and well-being of residents.

The Bottom Line

Hopefully you now have a greater awareness of how to identify when someone is having a stroke, as well as a guide so you can act ‘F.A.S.T.’ to help address this important issue!

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Please Note: There is no guarantee by GrantWatch nor the author of grant awards as a result of this information.