Only 50 percent of Minnesotans know the signs and symptoms of a brain aneurysm. That number isn't high enough for Barb Ralls, who suffered an aneurysm five years ago. She was relaxing at home when she began feeling an intense headache which traveled down her back. She knew something wasn't right so she drove to the hospital where she learned what had happened.

Not everyone is as lucky as Barb, however. Nearly 6 million Americans are affected by a brain aneurysm each year, 40 percent of which are fatal. Those numbers have inspired her and Dr. Andrew Grande, her surgeon, to spread awareness of the warning signs of a brain aneurysm. 

For over a year, Dr. Grande has been traveling around the state of Minnesota to educate health professionals on the signs. He told Kare 11 in an interview the acronym used to identify an aneurysm, FAST (face, arms, speech, time).