Mission: To reduce disability and death from cardiovascular diseases and stroke. For over 50 years, the American Heart Association, a national voluntary health agency, has been dedicated to funding research to learn about preventing and treating heart disease and stroke and has developed programs to educate the public about these deadly diseases. The American Stroke Association (ASA) was created in 1997 as a new division of the American Heart Association to bring increased awareness and funding for research and services specifically focused on stroke, stroke survivors and stroke prevention. Since its inception, ASA has established important organizational goals: teach people the warning signs of stroke; fund research to find ways to prevent stroke; develop guidelines for physicians to treat people with stroke; and provide stroke survivors and their families a place to get answers after a stroke. Train To End Stroke began in 2001 as the premier fundraising campaign for the American Stroke Association. Since its inception, the Train To End Stroke program proudly announces that over 21,000 participants have raised over $23 million for stroke research and education.