More Than 40 Organizations Issue Call to Action on Sudden Cardiac Arrest

The HCMA is a proud Founding member of the SCAC. Please download the attached PDF poster and help spread awareness about HCM and SCA in your community!

Message from Lisa Salberg, CEO and Founder HCMA - This important event will begin to put the United States on the path to improving outcomes and saving lives for victims of sudden cardiac arrest.  I will be honored to introduce Brian Buck as our survivor, you see my sister Lori and Brian had 2 things in common, the both had HCM and they both had cardiac arrests, as fate has it they share a date that is important too, June 16.  On June 16, 1995 my sister died from her SCA... and on June 16, 2010 Brian survived his. 

Groups Gather on Capitol Hill as CPR Turns 50 Years Old

WASHINGTON, D.C., October 5, 2010 — In a powerful demonstration of collective standing in the healthcare community, more than 40 organizations gathered on Capitol Hill to issue a call to action in reducing sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) deaths. A briefing was organized by the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Coalition (SCAC) and held at the Rayburn House Office Building on the 50^th anniversary of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). October is National Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month.

While CPR can double the chance of surviving SCA, only one in four victims of sudden cardiac arrest receive CPR from a bystander.   A need for further awareness was the basis for the gathering, in which a call to action was issued for people of all ages to learn how to recognize sudden cardiac arrest, learn CPR, and get familiar with automated external defibrillators (AEDs). Attendees of the briefing also participated in a CPR demonstration.

“Sudden Cardiac Arrest is a leading cause of death in the United States. The Sudden Cardiac Arrest Coalition is raising awareness about sudden cardiac arrest to a volume that policymakers cannot ignore,” said Alice Lara, chair of the SCAC. “We believe that a few key actions taken by leaders across the country  may help save the lives of future SCA victims.”

The more than 40 organizations at the briefing, titled “Moving the Needle on Sudden Cardiac Arrest Survival: A National Call to Action as CPR Turns 50,” specifically asked members of Congress to commit to three agenda items:

1. Make sudden cardiac arrest a reportable condition.
2. Encourage state education departments to include CPR in all high school curricula as a requirement for graduation.
3. Join the Congressional Heart and Stroke Coalition.

How to Save More Lives

Lance Becker, M.D., one of the country’s leading SCA response experts and a professor of emergency medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, provided his perspective on the barriers and opportunities in improving SCA survival rates. Dr. Becker, who is part of a nation-wide team of resuscitation experts embarking on an innovative project to reduce SCA deaths, pointed out the progress being made in the role of bystanders, technology, policy and research. He emphasized the importance of and need for more research in the field of cardiac arrest resuscitation, and more uniform outcomes and performance measurement in increasing survival rates.

“It’s been said before that you can’t improve what you don’t measure, and the same applies to sudden cardiac arrest,” said Dr. Becker. “Until we bring the needed resources, research, and national standards for data collection to the forefront, we won’t know for sure what works, what doesn’t and why.  We can improve survival rates, and with the help of our policy makers, we can make a real, national impact on a major public health problem that hasn’t changed in 30 years.

Rescue and Survivor Reunite

In an emotional testament to how successful SCA response can save a life, Brian Buck, a 30-year-old SCA survivor, told his story about suffering SCA while playing soccer this summer. Fortunately for him, Cheryl Victoria, the coordinator for exercise physiology and fitness services at the ConocoPhillips Wellness Center, responded to the emergency. Since Cheryl was the first on the scene, she immediately used an AED and started CPR with the help of her coworker Stephanie Held. Buck regained a pulse and was taken to a hospital and treated with therapeutic hypothermia, a treatment that cools the body to prevent organ damage. In the time since this event, he has made a full recovery. 

“There is not a day that goes by when I don’t feel incredibly blessed to be alive and grateful for what Cheryl did to save my life,” said Buck at the briefing. “I’m here today telling my story to help make sure other victims get the same second chance at life.  My hope is that many more people would be trained in the use of AEDs and CPR and survival stories like mine would become much more prevalent."

Just a few months after helping Buck, Victoria also joined the call to action on Capitol Hill.

“I contributed to saving one life based on my knowledge of CPR, but Members of Congress have the power to save thousands by meeting the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Coalition’s call to action,” said Victoria.

Awarding SCA Awareness Excellence

At the briefing, three journalists and a congresswoman were honored with Outstanding Achievement in SCA Awareness Awards.

Robert Langreth and Matthew Herper, both senior editors at Forbes, were recognized for their extensive reporting on SCA. Langreth and Herper coauthored articles such as, “The Mystery of Sudden Cardiac Arrest,” outlining risk factors, prevention and treatment; “Young Hearts at Risk,” recognizing cardiomyopathy as increasing the risk of arrhythmia; and “Jackson’s Death Focuses Attention on Cardiac Arrest.”

David Epstein, a staff writer for Sports Illustrated, was recognized for writing a 2007 Sports Illustrated cover story, “Following a Trail of Broken Hearts.” The article discussed a congenital cardiovascular abnormality that took the life of Epstein’s friend and former training partner.

Congresswoman Betty Sutton, from the 13^th Congressional District of Ohio, was recognized for being the lead sponsor of the Josh Miller HEARTS Act, which mandates that the Department of Education provide funding to local schools for the purchase of AEDs.

About the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Coalition

The SCA Coalition is comprised of 43 organizations passionate about preventing sudden cardiac arrest deaths through legislative initiatives that lead to greater public awareness, research and access to life-saving therapies. The SCA Coalition is focused on national issues that have the opportunity to bring about meaningful change that will save lives.

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