LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION memorializing Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to
proclaim May 2016 as Stroke Awareness Month in the State of New York in
conjunction with the observance of American Stroke Month

WHEREAS, Every 40 seconds someone in the United States experiences a
stroke and one out of six people will suffer a stroke in his or her
lifetime; and
WHEREAS, Stroke, or brain attack, is the fifth leading cause of death
in the United States, killing 129,000 people annually; stroke can happen
to anyone at any time, regardless of race, gender, or age; and
WHEREAS, In 2013, over 50,000 New Yorkers were hospitalized due to
stroke and in that same year, over 6,000 died; and
WHEREAS, Each year, about 40 percent of stroke deaths occur in males
and 60 percent in females; and
WHEREAS, Almost 795,000 people will experience a stroke this year;
about 610,000 are new attacks and 185,000 are recurrent attacks; and
WHEREAS, Stroke is a medical emergency; prompt treatment of a stroke
could mean the difference between life and death, complete recovery and
disability; and
WHEREAS, Stroke is the leading cause of adult disability; there are
more than seven million stroke survivors in the United States, with
two-thirds living with moderate to severe disabilities; and
WHEREAS, More than one-third of Americans cannot identify a single
symptom of stroke, such as sudden trouble talking, walking or seeing;
paralysis, usually on one side of the body; and sudden severe headache
with no known cause, even though there is now an easy and F.A.S.T.
(Face, Arms, Speech and Time) stroke recognition system; and
WHEREAS, Understanding the warning signs and obtaining emergency
treatment can save lives, reduce disability, and possibly even reverse
all impacts of the stroke; and
WHEREAS, People can minimize their risk for stroke by maintaining a
healthy blood pressure and weight; and
WHEREAS, The chance of having a stroke more than doubles for each
decade of life after age 55; while stroke is common among the elderly,
many people under 65 also have strokes; and
WHEREAS, Each year for the past six years, nearly 42,000 patients have
been treated for strokes at hospitals in New York State; the estimated
direct and indirect cost of stroke for 2010 is $73.7 billion; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim May 2016, as Stroke
Awareness Month in the State of New York, in conjunction with the obser-
vance of American Stroke Month, and to encourage all New Yorkers to ask
their doctors about stroke prevention and the warning signs of stroke;
and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the State of New
York.