Time Is Brain: Knowing Stroke Symptoms Can Save Lives

ST. LOUIS, May 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Whether at home or in the hospital, quickly recognizing the signs of stroke is key to saving brain tissue. Peter Marsac, 58, was at Mercy Hospital St. Louis recovering from a severe reaction to an ACE inhibitor when an occupational therapist noticed subtle left-sided weakness.

"I was in the right place at the right time," said Marsac, who is chief of Maplewood (Mo.) Fire Department. "I'm very thankful, God was on my side."

Marsac suffered an ischemic stroke, the most common type of stroke, caused by a blockage in a blood vessel leading to the brain.

"After recovering from the severe swelling and two days in a coma, I began inpatient rehab. I was working on basic motor skills with my occupational therapist when something didn't feel right," Marsac said. "She asked me to stand up, march in place and I couldn't lift my left leg – it felt like it was full of cement."

Cat Morroney, occupational therapist at Mercy St. Louis, began reviewing the stroke warning signs with him and knew she needed to activate the stroke team. Within minutes, Marsac was diagnosed and treated with a clot-busting medication, which made the difference in his outcome.

Marsac credits Morroney with his quick treatment, "By the time I was taken down for a CT, my arms had gone numb – though everything returned within 24 hours. I'm thankful the pieces fell into place and that Cat advocated for me. She should be recognized."

While Marsac spent a week in the intensive care unit related to his blood pressure, he has no lasting impacts from the stroke because his condition was noticed and treated quickly with Tenecteplase, also called TNK, a clot-busting drug.

"For every minute a stroke is left untreated, a million nerve cells in the brain die," said Dr. Nida Jamal, neurologist and stroke team medical director at Mercy St. Louis. "That's why we say, 'Time is brain.' The faster you act, the better the outcome for the patient."

It's important to know the signs and symptoms of a stroke to ensure treatment begins as soon as possible. The acronym to remember is B.E. F.A.S.T. because when it comes to spotting a stroke and getting help, the faster the better.

B – Balance Loss: Is there a sudden loss of balance or coordination? Is the person having trouble walking or experiencing dizziness?

E – Eye (Vision) Changes: Are there sudden changes in vision? Ask the person if they are experiencing blurred vision, double vision or loss of sight in one or both eyes.

F – Face Drooping: Does one side of the face droop or is it numb? Ask the person to smile, is smile uneven?

A – Arm Weakness: Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?

S – Speech Difficulty: Is speech slurred or difficult to understand? Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence.

T – Time to Call 911: If you have any of these symptoms or see someone else having them, call 911 immediately.

Mercy, one of the 15 largest U.S. health systems and named the top large system in the U.S. for excellent patient experience by NRC Health, serves millions annually with nationally recognized care and one of the nation's largest and highest performing Accountable Care Organizations in quality and cost. Mercy is a highly integrated, multi-state health care system including 55 acute care and specialty (heart, children's, orthopedic and rehab) hospitals, convenient and urgent care locations, imaging centers and pharmacies. Mercy has over 1,000 physician practice locations and outpatient facilities, more than 5,000 physicians and advanced practitioners and more than 50,000 caregivers serving patients and families across Arkansas, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma. Mercy also has clinics, outpatient services and outreach ministries in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. In fiscal year 2025 alone, Mercy provided more than half a billion dollars of free care and other community benefits, including traditional charity care and unreimbursed Medicaid. 

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SOURCE Mercy