N.C.âs Appalachian area impacted by gap in stroke care access in emergency situations N.C.'s Appalachian area impacted by gap in stroke care access in emergency situations By WBTV Web Staff | May 14, 2021 at 3:33 PM EDT - Updated May 14 at 3:33 PM NORTH CAROLINA (WBTV) - Every 40 seconds - someone, somewhere in the U.S. notices their arm getting weak, their speech slurs, their face droops or feels numb - theyâre having a stroke. From that point, every second matters to get them the help they need. If it takes too long, they could have a permanent disability or worse, but treatment isnât always nearby.