National Council of La Raza Joins NINDS Effort to Promote Stroke Awareness in the Latino Community

Today, the National Council of La Raza (NCLR), the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the U.S., announced that it is partnering with the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), on a Spanish-language pilot project to raise stroke awareness among Latinos in the United States. The pilot will help expand a national education campaign, Ataque cerebral: conozca los síntomas y actúe a tiempo (Know Stroke. Know the Signs. Act in Time.), an ongoing effort to educate the Hispanic community about stroke, its signs and the importance of calling 911 immediately to receive treatment, which can dramatically decrease or even prevent long-term disabilities.

“It is critical that all Spanish speakers know what the signs of stroke are and be encouraged to learn the English word for stroke so that if they suspect a stroke is happening, they can call 911 and receive medical treatment immediately. Every minute counts in helping someone who is experiencing a stroke,” said Executive Vice President of NCLR Charles K. Kamasaki.

Stroke is the third leading cause of death and one of the leading causes of adult, long-term disability in the United States. Each year, about 700,000 people have a new or recurrent stroke. Hispanics, in particular, have a higher rate of risk factors that increase the likelihood of stroke. These include diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, and cigarette smoking. Unfortunately, many people do not know the symptoms or what to do when they witness someone having a stroke.

As part of the critical push to raise stroke awareness among local Latino communities, NCLR assisted NINDS with the development of a Spanish-language tool kit and conducted pilot trainings for promotores de salud (lay health educators) working with NCLR Affiliates and other Latino-serving community-based organizations. The tool kit is now being offered for community outreach purposes to NCLR’s network, including the NCLR affiliate community.

“I am excited that I have the opportunity to be a part of this initiative,” said Rina Chavez, a participant from the Houston training. “The information and stroke awareness materials will help many people in my community recognize the signs of stroke and what to do to prevent them.”

The Spanish-language tool kit, a major component of the Know Stroke campaign, can be used by promotores de salud in charlas (health talks) to educate their communities about the signs of stroke. The tool kit is based on nationwide market research and focus groups conducted by NCLR providing valuable insights about Hispanics’ knowledge, awareness, and attitudes related to stroke. This tool kit includes a video with testimonies from people who have successfully recovered from stroke due to their prompt action, and information from a medical expert; a flipchart that complements the information in the video; and brochures that capture key messages for the charlas’ participants to take home and share with others.

“We are pleased to be working with NCLR to expand the reach of this campaign into Hispanic communities across the country by bringing its messages to local leaders and educators who are committed to improving the health and well-being of Hispanics,” said José G. Merino, M.D, member of the NIH stroke team.

If you would like more information about the Know Stroke campaign or other materials on stroke, please contact NINDS at 1-800-352-9424 (Spanish-speaking specialists are available to assist you) or visit www.ninds.nih.gov/stroke. If you are an NCLR affiliate, please identify yourself as such when calling. Also, for a full listing of Spanish-language publications, please visit www.ninds.nih.gov/spanish.

The National Council of La Raza (NCLR) – the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States – works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans. For more information, please visit www.nclr.org

The NINDS is a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) within the Department of Health and Human Services and is the nation’s primary supporter of biomedical research on the brain and nervous system. The NINDS mission is to reduce the burden of neurological disease. Go to www.ninds.nih.gov/ for more information.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) — The Nation’s Medical Research Agency — includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is the primary Federal agency for conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and it investigates the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit

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