In years past, the First Saturday in May has been declared Childhood Stroke Awareness Day. This has been done on a state level. I drafted the following Petition to be distributed and signed so that we may provide this to Legislators to get this in motion. We watch daily the trials and tribulations our children endure, let�s not only do this in their honor, but in memory of the children we have lost due to strokes, but with hopes of educating that children do have strokes. One in every 3,000 to 4,000 children will have a stroke. Over half of children that have had a stroke will develop lifelong cognitive or motor disability. Up to a third of children that have had a stroke will have a recurrent stroke. There are numerous reasons as to why a child may have a stroke. There is no significant funding for research or education for physicians, teachers or parents. Parents have had to become educators. It is not uncommon for these children to have to endure bullying due to disabilities they have as a result of their stroke. Typically years of therapy are required to assist a child to recover, but sometimes not all skills will ever be gained or regained. The endless therapy and cognitive issues add a level of frustration that none of us can say we truly understand. We, the parents, friends and loved ones, of pediatric stroke survivors, and those that have lost their battle due to issues from their stroke urge policymakers to declare May 1, 2010 National Childhood Stroke Awareness Day.

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