In April, the Board of Directors and staff held a retreat to develop a 3-year strategic plan to help guide and focus the organization's activities.  During this process, the mission, vision, and tagline/logo were also revised.  Although they may seem subtle, these changes capture the organization's desire to serve the entire PHW membership.  
 
MISSION:  Parent Heart Watch is the national voice protecting youth from Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) and preventable Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD).  Parent Heart Watch leads and empowers others by sharing information, educating, and advocating for change.

 

VISION: Eliminate preventable disabilities and death of youth caused by Sudden Cardiac Arrest.

 

TAG LINE: Protecting Youth from Sudden Cardiac Arrest
 

In April, Linette Derminer and Laura Friend met with executives of Boston Scientific Corporation (BSC) at the company's headquarters in Minneapolis, MN.  After touring the Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD) manufacturing facilities, Linette, Laura and BSC representatives discussed each organization's mission and goals, and recognized that several goals of BSC mirrored those of Parent Heart Watch.   PHW looks forward to the opportunity of collaborating with Boston Scientific Corporation in the near future.

May 10 - Linette Derminer traveled to Chicago, IL for the CME Conference "Sudden Cardiac Arrest in Young Adults: Awareness, Detection, Prevention."  The conference was hosted by the Midwest Heart Foundation and the Mayo Clinic.  During the conference, Dr. Joseph Marek, Cardiologist and Hypertension Specialist, and one of the conference directors, gave a presentation on the protocol that Midwest Heart Foundation uses for heart screenings.

 

May 12 - Stew Krug, PHW Board member, and Sharon Bates, PHW member from Arizona, represented Parent Heart Watch at the CME Conference "State-of-the-Art Evaluation of Athletes: Avoiding Sudden Cardiac Death" co-hosted by Main Line Heart Health Center and the Heart Rhythm Society in Philadelphia, PA.  The day's events were highlighted by presentations of the two conflicting perspectives for the need for cardiac screenings.   Dr. Barry Maron presented his view against screenings including ECGs during his talk "Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: Diagnosis and Differentiation from Athletic Heart."   Doctor Antonio Pelliccia presented his Italian study results that recommend screenings including ECGs during his presentation "Appropriate Screening of Athletes."

 

May 14-17 - Laura and Linette represented PHW at Heart Rhythm 2008 in San Francisco, CA.  Approximately 4,000 electrophysiologists and other medical professionals from around the world attended this conference.

 

June 1 - In observance of first National CPR / AED Awareness Week, Project Jumpstart-a-Heart was held in Harrisburg, PA.  Over 100 youth and adults were trained in CPR and AED use as well as how to recognize the warning signs for heart attack, stroke and how to help a choking victim.  Family & Friends™ CPR Anytime™ kits were given to participants free for use during the training, and for use at home to teach more family and friends CPR.  The entire event was free for participants.

 

June 13-15 - Linette, Laura, and Martha Lopez-Anderson, the new PHW Board Chairperson, represented PHW at the Emergency Cardiovascular Care Update (ECCU) 2008 Conference.  The conference was held in Las Vegas, NV.

While at the conference, Linette, Laura, and Martha met with the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation and other organizations that are supporting the "You Can Save A Life" ™ National SCA Awareness Campaign for Schools to discuss details of the program.   See the article below to learn more about the campaign. 

 

Parent Heart Watch is one of eleven organizations that have partnered to support the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation's (SCAF) "You Can Save A Life" (TM) campaign.  SCAF expects to rollout the campaign by November 2008.  The campaign will include:

1. Development, promotion and distribution of a 16-page mini-magazine;
2. Development and promotion of a companion micro-site (dedicated website);
3. An advertising and public relations campaign targeted to key school 
   stakeholders.

 

 

Parent Heart Watch has given support to House of Representatives bill HR4926 submitted by Representative Betty Sutton of Ohio.  The bill, referred to as the Josh Miller Helping Everyone Access Responsive Treatment in Schools Act of 2008 or the Josh Miller HEARTS Act, amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. It directs the Secretary of Education to award matching grants to local educational agencies to purchase AEDs.  On June 9, 2008, the bill was passed by the House of Representatives.   For more information regarding the bill, please use the link below.
 

 

 

The Heart Rhythm Society and Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) Coalition [PHW is member] have lobbied Congress to designate October as SCA Awareness Month.  Representative Pickering of Mississippi introduced the SCA Awareness Month Concurrent Resolution, H.Con.Res. 393.  There is a small window of opportunity for getting this passed in August and September.  We urge readers to contact your Representative in the House to Co-Sponsor H.Con.Res. 393 and in the Senate to Co-sponsor S.Con.Res. 93, to support the establishment of October as the annual "National Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month."

 

Marchetta is a parent member who lives in Midlothian, Virginia with her two sons, Steven and Cody. Marchetta joined Parent Heart Watch in October 2006.

"Jayme, my oldest son, was diagnosed at age 13 as having arrhythmogenic supraventricular tachycardia (SVT).  We thought we had done, and were doing, everything that could be done to keep him safe.  On January 22, 2004, twenty one days after his eighteenth birthday, Jayme was testing for a final exam in his weight lifting class by running 2-1/2 miles for time when he collapsed and died in front of 150 students and three faculty members."

Jayme appeared to have quite an acting career ahead of him. He appeared in the movie "Love Don't Cost A Thing" with Nick Carter.  He was going to work at "West Coast Choppers" (TV show) and had just made an episode for "Monster Garage" with Jesse James.  Jayme was also scheduled to appear in the movie "Coach Carter" with Samuel L. Jackson, and make an episode of "Made" for MTV. "I am so grateful that he had these opportunities!"

"Cody, my youngest son, is now thirteen and going to the same school that Jayme did. He and I participate in the American Heart Association Heart Walk every year in Richmond, Virginia in Jayme's honor."

"In honor of Jayme and another boy that passed right after Jayme did, my father donated an AED to a local high school in Roanoke, Virginia with funds from his Moose Lodge."

Marchetta is a very active advocate.  She works with the American Heart Association. She recently made a public service announcement (PSA) for Comcast Cable.  The PSA was aired in Virginia and in other nearby states during the first National AED/CPR week (June 1-7). She has advocated with numerous legislators, congressmen, delegates, and assemblymen in Virginia.

"I donated an AED this past September to Jayme's middle school. I will be donating my 2nd AED to the Elementary school that Cody attended when Jayme passed."

Occasionally, I think, "What does my little bit do?"  Then I reflect about Parent Heart Watch, the growing organization, and the web site that we all met through, and I know that every bit matters.

Sincerely with truly all my heart: Marchetta Tench
Jayme, Steven, and Cody's mom forever

 
Twenty four new members joined in the second quarter of 2008.   These new members are listed below.  Please take the time to contact new members in your state or region and welcome them to Parent Heart Watch. To meet these new members, use the above link to the PHW web site and check out the membership pages.  Remember, you must be a registered member to gain access. PHW has three membership categories: Parent members (those that have lost a child), Associate members (survivors of SCA, those living with a heart issue or have a child/children living with a heart issue; siblings, grandparents or other family members), and Partners (individuals or other organizations working within the scope of the PHW mission).

During the months of April - June 2008, the following families and individuals became members of PHW:

 

• American Heart Association Scientific Sessions, New Orleans, LA - November 9-11
• Parent Heart Watch 4th Annual National Conference: Hearts of Sunshine, Orlando, FL - January 16-19, 2009.  For sponsorship opportunities, please contact Laura at laura@parentheartwatch.org or 817-788-2960.
  

In order to continue with aggressive efforts to educate about SCA in youth, to advocate for AEDs in schools, sporting events and practices and heart screenings for youth, PHW needs your financial support.  No dollar amount is too small!! Every dollar helps educate and advocate for change!  If you would like to make a donation to PHW,  please send a check to Parent Heart Watch PO Box 237, Geneva, OH 44041.  Also, you can now make a donation using your favorite credit card.  Just use this link PHW Website to go to the PHW web site and the "Make a Donation" page.

 

"If you ever think that you are too small to make a difference... you've never spent the night alone in a room with a mosquito!"  Ken Burnett

 

Thank you for making a difference!