>> it was terrifying. >> reporter: hardiman is an example of a troubling fund.o 2005, the incidence of stroke declined in men and from 2005 to 2010, while the rates among men continued to drop, they stayed the same for women. and women's hospital, says risk factors for stroke, obesity, high blood pressure and irregular heartbeat and diabetes may for some reason affect women differently than men. >> diabetes is a strong risk factor for stroke in both men and women. but in women, the risk is 26% higher than in men with diabetes. >> hardiman recovered and went back to her gourmet ice cream business in brooklyn. last june she had a second stroke. >> i had to stop being ceo of my ice cream business, start being ceo of my health. and put that as my priority. which i did. >> this time, doctors found the cause. a small hole in her heart, and repaired it. >> when i was told that i had a stroke, i have always associated it with the elderly. something that your grandmother has, but never thought, it would be something that would happen to me. >> reporter: you can remember