An initiative of
Purva Medical TrustPurva Medical Trust

World Stroke Day · 29 Oct 2026 · Free

86 billion neurons.All firing. All yours.

Now watch what happens when a single artery in the brain is blocked.

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What happens in the brain during a stroke, minute by minute

Stroke clock

T+00:00:00

Neurons lost

0

  1. 00:00:00The clot

    An artery in the brain is blocked.

    Blood stops. Oxygen stops. Glucose stops. Often there is no pain at all — which is exactly why people wait.

  2. 00:00:1010 seconds

    The lights start to flicker.

    Starved neurons stop firing. A face droops. An arm won't lift. Words come out wrong — or not at all.

  3. 00:01:001 minute

    1.9 million neurons. Gone.

    Along with 14 billion synapses and 12 km of nerve fibre. Not once — every single minute.

    1.9M neurons / minute

  4. 00:05:005 minutes

    The meltdown begins.

    Out of energy, cell pumps fail. Calcium floods in, cells swell and burst, and release toxins that poison their neighbours.

  5. 00:15:0015 minutes

    The brain you can still save.

    Around the dying core is the penumbra — stunned but alive. Restore blood flow fast and much of it recovers.

  6. 01:00:001 hour

    The brain ages 3.6 years.

    120 million neurons lost. That is what one untreated hour costs. Hospitals aim to start treatment within 60 minutes of arrival.

    120M neurons / hour

  7. 04:30:004.5 hours

    The window narrows.

    Clot-dissolving medicine works best in the first minutes and, for most patients, can no longer be given after about 4.5 hours.

  8. 06:00:006 hours

    Last chances.

    For some, the clot can still be pulled out at a specialised centre. But every minute of delay still costs brain.

  9. 10:00:0010 hours

    The clock runs out.

    ≈1.2 billion neurons lost. The equivalent of 36 years of normal brain ageing — in less than a day.

    36 yrs of brain ageing

Minutes save brains.

Stop the clock.

Stop the clock with us on World Stroke Day. A free interactive program to help you recognise a stroke, act in minutes, and know where to go.

While you scrolled this page, a stroke patient lost 0 neurons.

Register for the Interactive Program

Takes 20 seconds — about the time a stroke takes 630,000 neurons.

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Free to attend — a non-profit initiative of Purva Medical Trust. We'll only use your details for this program. No spam.

Brainline · Purva Medical Trust

A mission to spread stroke prevention awareness.

Prevent brain stroke before it strikes — because your Brain Only Lives Once.

  • Awareness
  • Access
  • Affordability

SHAAADOWSSS®

11 risk factors

0/11 uncovered

Tap a letter. How many of these are in your life?

BEDFFASTT

9 warning signs

0/9 uncovered

Tap a letter. Could you spot them in someone you love?

Know them all — and how to stop the clock — at the Interactive Program on 29 Oct 2026.Join the program →

Questions

World Stroke Day program — FAQs

What is the Stop the Clock program?

Stop the Clock is a free, interactive World Stroke Day program by Brainline, a non-profit initiative of Purva Medical Trust, on Thursday, 29 October 2026. It helps you recognise a stroke, act within minutes and lower your risk of having one.

Is the World Stroke Day program free?

Yes. The program is free to attend. Register on this page so we can share the program details with you.

Who can attend?

Everyone is welcome — medical professionals, corporate teams, business owners, students, caregivers and families, stroke survivors, NGOs and community groups, or anyone who simply wants to know more.

Where and at what time is the program?

The program is on 29 October 2026, World Stroke Day. Venue and timings will be shared with registered participants and in the Brainline WhatsApp community.

What are the warning signs of a stroke?

Brainline's BEDFFASTT covers nine signs: loss of Balance, Eye problems, early-morning Dizziness, Facial weakness, easy Fatiguability, Arm weakness, Speech trouble, a Terrible headache — and Time: act within the golden hour.

What are the risk factors for a stroke?

Brainline's SHAAADOWSSS® lists eleven: Smoking, Hypertension, Age, Alcohol abuse, Atrial fibrillation, Diabetes, Obesity, Wellspring (family history), Stress, Sedentary lifestyle and Sleep deprivation.

What should I do if I think someone is having a stroke?

Call 108 or 112 immediately and note the time the symptoms started. Do not wait to see if the symptoms pass — stroke treatment works best when it starts early.

Why does every minute matter in a stroke?

In a typical untreated large-vessel stroke, about 1.9 million neurons are lost every minute. Reaching treatment quickly saves brain tissue — which is why we say minutes save brains.

Register free · 29 Oct 2026