Hahn Declares May Stroke Awareness Month
Hahn announces 2 more Mobile Stroke Units will launch later this month
Supervisor Hahn gets a look inside a Mobile Stroke Unit, which operates through a partnership between LA County and UCLA.
Los Angeles, CA – Today, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a motion by Supervisor Janice Hahn to declare May 2025 “Stroke Awareness Month” in LA County.
Every 40 seconds, someone in the United States has a stroke, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. Worldwide, heart disease is the number one cause of death, with stroke following right after; and having a stroke is the top contributor to long-term disability.
“This is an issue that affects so many families, including my own,” said Supervisor Janice Hahn, whose father suffered a stroke while he was serving on the LA County Board of Supervisors. “When it comes to a stroke, minutes matter. By proclaiming May as Stroke Awareness Month, it is my hope that we can spread the word about the signs and symptoms of a potential stroke, so that people know what to look for and respond quickly.”
Supervisor Hahn has provided and support and funding for a Mobile Stroke Unit, which is a partnership between UCLA and the County of LA. On Tuesday, she announced that this program will be expanded later this month with two more Mobile Stroke Units, for a total of three units to serve LA County.
The Mobile Stroke Unit is a specially equipped ambulance that includes a mobile CT scanner, lab tests, a telehealth connection with a vascular neurologist — everything paramedics need to diagnose and treat a stroke patient quickly, before they even get to a hospital.
“I’m endlessly grateful to Supervisor Janice Hahn and the Board of Supervisors for their leadership in recognizing May as Stroke Awareness Month and for their support in expanding our Mobile Stroke Unit program across Los Angeles County,” said Dr. May Nour, medical director of the UCLA Health Mobile Stroke Unit. “This effort has the potential to significantly improve stroke care by bringing critical emergency treatment directly to patients when minutes matter most, helping us prevent the devastating disabilities that can follow when treatment is delayed.”
“I am truly proud that out of this partnership, and through the leadership of Dr. May Nour and our first responders, the Mobile Stroke Unit has saved countless lives and significantly reduced the risk and harm of long-term disability,” Hahn said. “This is a fitting way to mark May as Stroke Awareness Month, and I am grateful to know that these additional Mobile Stroke Units will save even more lives.”
Hahn’s motion directs LA County Communications and the Departments of Public Health and Health Services to share information with the public, as well as with people who are vulnerable or at risk for a stroke, about the Mobile Stroke Unit and the signs and symptoms of a stroke.
To know if you or someone might be having a stroke, the American Stroke Association recommends using the FAST test:
• Face – Does one side of the face droop or is it numb? Ask the person to smile. Is the person’s smile uneven?
• Arms – Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
• Speech – When speaking a simple phrase, is it slurred or difficult to understand?
• Time – If experiencing any of these signs, contact 9-1-1 immediately.