|
|
|
|
|
| Greetings! |
On behalf of the SYH Board of Directors, I would to like  extend our most sincere thanks to our donors, sponsors and volunteers for supporting our efforts to save young lives during 2007.
May your Holidays be filled with joy, family, friends and wonderful memories.
Best wishes for a peaceful, healthy and prosperous New Year!
Martha Lopez-Anderson
SAVING YOUNG HEARTS, INC.
|
|
|
In the United States, only a few states require or support the placement of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in schools, despite that:
Recently, Dr. Steven E. Krug, chairman of the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Pediatric Emergency Medicine and Professor at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine said the "overall incidence of ventricular fibrillation has been underestimated. It used to be thought that it was fairly uncommon in children. We now know that a fairly significant number of children have arrhythmias that need defibrillation."
SCA strikes people of all ages, including children, usually without warning. Having an AED on site, trained staff and an emergency plan in place can make the difference between life and death.
Florida was the first state to enact a broad public access law in 1997. Since July 2006, only schools that are members of the Florida High School Athletic Association are required to have an operational AED on site. Funding: None; public and private partnerships are encouraged to cover the costs. With your support SYH will continue working with other members of Parent Heart Watch for better legislation and funding.
 In June 2007 , Texas made a significant investment in children's safety and well-being by enacting Senate Bill 7, which requires every school campus to have an AED and a trained individual present to use the device. Addtionally, the State Board of Education will include instruction in CPR and AED as part of the essential knowledge and skills of the health curriculum. The bill also requires the Texas Education Agency to establish a cardiovascular screening pilot program to screen 6th grade students beginning this year. Funding: The Texas Legislature appropriated $6 million for reimbursement to districts, but districts must demonstrate a need for funding.
Ohio has placed 4,544 AEDs in public schools since May 2004 when the Ohio School AED Project was started. Schools that received an AED through the project were required to train five people to use the device. Already, 12 lives have been saved across Ohio with these devices. Funding: $5 million was appropriated in two phases from Tobacco Settlement Funds.
US Rep. Betty Sutton who represents northeast Ohio's 13th district announced late last month her intent to file a bill to take Ohio's defibrillator program nationwide.
Since 2002, New York state law has required public school facilities with more than 1,000 persons to provide and maintain AEDs on site. It also requires that all school-sponsored activities have at least one AED trained staff person present. As of 2006, it also requires that CPR and the use of AED be taught at high schools. According to the New York State United Teachers Association, AEDs have been credited with saving 53 lives since the law was enacted; 38 adults and 15 children.
Other states such as Colorado (donations), Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Virginia also support or require AEDs in schools.
* According to Heart Rhythym Society |
|
More Acquire Life-Saving Skills |
|
Through our partnership with municipal and county Fire Rescue departments and the commitment of faculty and staff, three (3) more schools have been trained on life-saving skills that can help save the life of a child or adult struck by sudden cardiac arrest.
Standing: Jim Swope and Shann Cliburn with the Winter Garden Fire Rescue Dept. observe the faculty & staff at Lakeview Middle School practice chest compressions.
As you know, the placement of AEDs in schools is important, but having staff trained in CPR and the use of AED together with an emergency response plan in place is equally important.
# of Faculty/Staff Trained
- Sunset Park Elementary - 18
- Lakeview Middle - 13
- Foundation Academy (new campus) - 8
Left: Luis Garcia-Mercado with Orange County Fire Rescue Dept. - Life Safety Education Bureau checks the compressions performed by faculty and staff at Sunset Park Elementary. Right: Scott Carlisle and John Mulhall addressing the group during the 4 hour training session. |
Help Us Help YOU...
- Facilitate a presentation by SYH to your school, business, church, neighborhood group, civic organization or club.
- Ask community organizations and/or businesses to sponsor AEDs for schools and other public facilities.
- Check with your school or recreation league to see if they have a Public Access Defibrillation (PAD) program.
- Make a tax-deductible donation online or by mail.
- Become a certified AED/CPR trainer and volunteer your time and skills to train others in the community.
| |
 |
|
Our Mission |
|
Advocate education and awareness programs about sudden cardiac arrest in children and young adults.
Properly place automated external defibrillators in Florida schools and other places where youth regularly congregate.
Encourage and facilitate CPR/AED education.
|
|
Donations Now Accepted Online |
|
With the end of year approaching, this is a good time to make your charitable contribution.
SYH can now accept donations online donations. All major credit cards accepted.
It is through the generosity of individuals, businesses and civic organizations that we are able to:
-
Educate & raise awareness of sudden cardiac arrest in youth.
-
Place AEDs in schools and other facilities.
-
Provide CPR/AED training materials.
-
Provide affordable heart screenings for early detection. |
|
Heart Screenings |
|
The heart screening movement continues to grow as more pioneers lead the efforts to save lives. Recently, researchers at Stanford University School of Medicine started a voluntary program to conduct advanced heart testing of all the university's student athletes. The testing involves an electrocardiogram, known as ECG or EKG, which can detect Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM), the most common cause of sudden death in young athletes. Other genetic heart conditions can also be detected.
 Advanced heart testing in youth has been a controversial issue in the United States. It has been thought of as a good idea, but "too expensive". Meanwhile, seemingly healthy children and young adults continue to die each day from undetected heart problems. According to The American Academy of Pediatrics, the cost of screening a child's heart (approx. $50.00--$100.00) with an ECG is considered not cost effective compared to the number of lives lost each year. In reality, approximately 80% of the heart problems that can cause sudden cardiac death are detectible on an ECG when read by a cardiologist. Most heart problems that cause sudden death are not detectable with just a stethoscope.
The controversy reached a new level with research results out of Italy, showing that sudden death has been virtually eliminated since 1982, when the Italians started requiring that all citizens participating in organized and competitive sports undergo a preventive general medical and cardiovascular evaluation, which includes a 12-lead ECG, in addition to a personal, family history and physical evaluation (including blood pressure reading).
It appears that Stanford University is using the same testing protocol utilized by HeartScreen America , the company that SYH partnered with in August to provide heart screenings for children and young athletes between the ages of 6 and 18 years old.
We need your help to get through key stakeholders, schools, communities, the "not yet informed" physicians and parents that a simple test has the power of saving lives! | |
|
|
|
|
|
 Cheesecake, a wonderfully smooth, creamy and scrumptious fundraiser. For every delicious Chick-fil-A cheesecake purchased at Chick-fil-A of West Oaks Mall for $20.00 each, Saving Young Hearts will receive $5.00!
Perfect served alone or topped with fruit, chocolate, caramel or nuts.
Pre-cut in 20 slices for easy serving.
Great for dinner parties, hostess gifts, birthdays, etc
Made with only the finest fresh ingredients, including cream cheese, sugar, whole eggs, pure vanilla and an irresistible graham cracker butter crust.
Due to the demand for Chick-fil-A's cheesecake, we encourage you to call 407-522-2934 at least 24 hours ahead to reserve your cheescake(s).
Fundraiser Valid: December 2007 only at Chick-fil-A of West Oaks Mall | |
|
