There has been significant focus on stroke in the mass media since December 2005, following the stroke suffered by Ariel Sharon, the Israeli Prime Minister, and the death in January of Tony Banks as a result of a similar catastrophic vascular event. It has been interesting to notice the way in which these cases have been described in news broadcasts. Initially the term ‘stroke’ was used, but subsequent bulletins seemed to avoid using this word, preferring instead to use the term ‘brain haemorrhage’.