SJR48,1,32 Whereas, the month of May has been recognized as American Stroke
3Awareness Month; and

SJR48,1,54 Whereas, every 45 seconds, on average, someone in the United States suffers
5from a stroke; and

SJR48,1,76 Whereas, each year over 700,000 Americans suffer a new or recurrent stroke;
7and

SJR48,1,98 Whereas, stroke is the third-leading cause of death in the United States,
9ranking only behind diseases of the heart and cancer; and

SJR48,1,1010 Whereas, stroke accounts for one of every 16 deaths in the United States; and

SJR48,1,1211 Whereas, Wisconsin had a staggering 14,573 stroke hospitalizations in 2004,
12and 10,960 deaths related to stroke or its aftereffects; and

SJR48,1,1413 Whereas, even for those who survive an initial stroke, the aftermath poses
14serious risk of recurrence, and recovery is difficult; and

SJR48,2,2

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1Whereas, 21 percent of men and 24 percent of women who have an initial stroke
2die within a year; and

SJR48,2,43 Whereas, stroke is a leading cause of serious, long-term disability in the United
4States; and

SJR48,2,65 Whereas, regrettably, certain ethnic groups are more likely to suffer from
6stroke than others; and

SJR48,2,97 Whereas, African Americans generally have almost twice the risk of first-ever
8stroke compared with white Americans, and African Americans between the ages of
935 and 54 have four times the relative risk for stroke; and

SJR48,2,1510 Whereas, despite the prevalence and serious consequences of stroke, the
11majority of Americans are not aware of their risk factors for a stroke, nor are they
12aware of the signs and symptoms of an impending stroke, such as sudden numbness
13or weakness of the face, arm, or leg; sudden trouble with speaking or with seeing in
14one or both eyes; sudden dizziness or loss of balance and coordination; and sudden
15severe headache; and

SJR48,2,1916 Whereas, organizations like the American Heart Association and the American
17Stroke Association are devoted to educating people about the causes of stroke and
18to working with health advocates around the country to increase prevention
19measures; and

SJR48,2,2420 Whereas, in an effort to address these issues, in November 2005, the American
21Stroke Association launched its "Power to End Stroke" campaign aimed at educating
22the African American community on how to reduce the chances of having a stroke,
23recognizing the symptoms of stroke, and responding to the warning signs that a
24person is suffering or has suffered from a stroke; now, therefore, be it