(WKBN) – May is national stroke awareness month and we want to make you aware of something scary; anyone can have a stroke, even younger people.

A stroke occurs when there is an issue with blood flow to a part of the brain, whether that’s due to a lack of blood supply or bleeding in the brain.

“No age group is immune to having strokes. Stroke could happen to any age group, and we’re surprisingly seeing a significant rise in strokes in young adults,” said Dr. Abbas Kharal, a physician at the Cleveland Clinic.

Younger people who experience stroke symptoms will sometimes put off getting help because they think it’s something less serious.

“We’re seeing the incidence of high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes occurring now in younger patients in their late 20s into their early 30s. These diseases have traditionally been attributed to a much older population,” Kharal said.

Remember the acronym FAST to recognize some of the symptoms of a stroke. F is for face drooping, A is for arm weakness, S is for speech difficulty and T is a reminder that it’s time to call 911. A delay can mean permanent brain damage or death.