SEATTLE, April 24, 2024 – Seattle resident Joyce Moty recalls the morning of July 11, 2022, the day she suffered a stroke, pretty well. “I remember feeling a little weird and noticing small things like I was having trouble typing and my right side was a little limp,” said Moty. “I just couldn’t attribute the feelings to anything specific, so I pressed on with my day.” 

A gardener at the Bradner P-Patch for over 30 years, Moty headed to her plot to get her hands in the dirt. She gardened for a while and as she was preparing to leave, she ran into fellow P-Patch gardener Pamela Williams, who is also a nurse practitioner. Moty greeted Williams and instead of responding hello, Williams said, “You need to go to the emergency room right away.” 

Williams recognized Moty’s speech was jumbled and her sentences were strangely constructed. She suspected Moty could be experiencing a stroke and knew immediate action was needed. 

May is American Stroke Month and the American Stroke Association is encouraging Washingtonians to learn the stroke warning signs using the acronym F.A.S.T. and how to respond when a stroke emergency is suspected. F.A.S.T. stands for Face drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulty and Time to call 911. Often someone other than the person experiencing the stroke recognizes the signs and encourages action, which is exactly what happened in Moty’s case. 

Stroke is the fifth-leading cause of death and a leading cause of serious, long-term disability in the U.S.[1]. Most adults in the U.S. don’t know the F.A.S.T warning signs of a stroke[2], and that stroke is largely treatable if you call 911 as soon as you recognize the symptoms. In Moty’s case, she was taken to the hospital immediately, treated and recovered with no lasting impact. “I feel lucky and its important to me to help raise awareness about stroke so others can have the same positive result.” 

The American Stroke Association offers an online tool, the F.A.S.T. Experience, to engage users in a virtual educational experience that simulates stroke warning signs, allowing users to better understand what those experiencing a stroke go through and equipping them to spot stroke warning signs F.A.S.T. to help save a life in the future. This tool, plus resources offered by the American Stroke Association, are designed to raise awareness about stroke and save more lives. To learn more visit www.stroke.org/StrokeMonth

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About the American Stroke Association

The American Stroke Association is a relentless force for a world with fewer strokes and longer, healthier lives. We team with millions of volunteers and donors to ensure equitable health and stroke care in all communities. We work to prevent, treat and beat stroke by funding innovative research, fighting for the public’s health, and providing lifesaving resources. The Dallas-based association was created in 1998 as a division of the American Heart Association. To learn more or to get involved, call 1-888-4STROKE or visit stroke.org. Follow us on Facebook and X. Connect with us in Washington on heart.org/Washington, Facebook, Instagram and X.

 

For Media Inquiries: 

Valerie Koch, valerie.koch@heart.org

Francesca Minas, francesca.minas@heart.org

For Public Inquiries: 1-800-AHA-USA1 (242-8721)
heart.org and stroke.org

 

[1] S S Martin; et al Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics—2024 Update: A Report of US and Global Data From the American Heart Association Circulation. 2024; 149:e347–e913. DOI: 10.1161/CIR.0000000000001209

[2] AHA Ad Council Stroke Continuous Tracker September 2019, September 2021, April 2021, June 2022 Updated Aug 9, 2022