But he was still able to walk into the hospital under his own power, briefcase in hand. Ford spent a little over a week in a Philadelphia hospital, where he was treated with anti-clotting medication. Today he reports he is as active as ever, and luckily has suffered no permanent disability. While Ford considers himself fortunate, he knows that stroke is a major health threat, and he considers prevention and awareness to be the best medicine. And prevention is the focus of this May's Stroke Awareness Month.
Ischemic strokes occur when a blood clot blocks a blood vessel in the brain.
In hemorrhagic strokes, a blood vessel breaks or ruptures. Four million people are currently living with the effects of stroke in this country. Another two-thirds suffer moderate to severe aftereffects. Stroke kills more than twice as many American women each year as breast cancer. Approximately 100,000 women between the ages of 30 and 65 will have a stroke this year.