Know the warning signs of a stroke so you can act fast 80% of strokes are preventable, experts say Published: Tags: ORLANDO, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) – May is American Stroke Awareness Month. Strokes are a leading cause of preventable death, but the lack of awareness, education, and resources are major barriers to stopping it. Someone in the U.S. has a stroke every 40 seconds, and every four minutes someone dies of one. Former national news TV personality Mark McEwen went from an all-time high to rock bottom after suffering from a massive stroke. “When I woke up in the hospital and the doctor said, ‘You’ve had a stroke.’ I thought ‘Uhh ... what’s that,’” McEwen said.