According to the American Stroke Association, one in four people get stroke at least once in their lifetime. A stroke can affect anyone irrespective age. There are various causes for stroke like genetics, family history, medical history, age, gender and race which are not in our control.

World Stroke day is celebrated on 29 October every year with an aim to spread awareness and inform people about the signs, symptoms and prevention of stroke. The World Stroke Association aims to fight against the stigma related to a stroke.

World stroke day was celebrated in the year 2006 for the first time by the World Stroke Association which was formed in the same year after the World Stroke Foundation (WSF) merged with the International Stroke Society (ISS).

WSO is a non-profit organisation whose aim is to raise awareness about stroke and help stroke survivors. They have been working towards more research and studies in this field to improve the life of the stroke survivors worldwide.

This day is celebrated to promote a healthy lifestyle so that less people suffer from stroke. A decade ago statistics showed that one in six people had chance of suffering from stroke which is now one in four.

This makes it more important for people to be alert and become proactive of taking care of themselves to prevent strokes. Quit smoking, reduce drinking and lead a healthy lifestyle with a healthy diet. People should learn how can they recognise when a person is having a stroke and take necessary action.

The theme for world stroke day this year is #precious time which aims to raise awareness about the symptoms of having a stroke so that people can take action and save lives.