| The Pulse...Let the Beat Go On! |
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| Volume 3 Issue 3 |
July-December 2009 |
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Join us on
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Greetings!
As 2009 draws to a close, we naturally take some time to reflect. Thank you for your continued support of Parent Heart Watch over the past 4 years. As with all things in life growth is a journey and we're getting stronger and gaining momentum every year. Together we keep our message alive on all fronts.
In recognition of National SCA Awareness Month in October, you made our "YOU Make the Difference!" poster campaign a success; 8,508 posters distributed in 23 states! We brought our vital message to the pulse of schools and youth-serving organizations all across the country. These posters can continue to be distributed throughout the year - their messages are timeless and priceless. To view the posters and download the accompanying letter for schools and youth-serving organizations, see article below. It's never too late to start getting involved. If you would like to start distributing these posters in your community, please contact Laura Friend at Laura@parentheartwatch.org.
Please take an extra moment to support Parent Heart Watch's Birthday Fundraising Campaign by making a contribution online or by mail. Our goal is to raise $5,000.00 by January 18, 2010. Your continued support is crucial to the success of Parent Heart Watch and its ongoing efforts to educate others and protect young lives from sudden cardiac arrest.
The 2010 National Conference is January 15-18, 2010 in Arlington, Texas. I very much look forward to seeing you all there. Please register today and make your travel arrangements as soon as possible. It is always a tremendous opportunity to learn, share and be inspired!
Blessings to all this Holiday Season and the New Year.
Martha Lopez-Anderson
Chairperson, Board of Directors |
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YOU Make the Difference!
During National Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) Awareness Month (October), Parent Heart Watch launched its YOU Make the Difference! poster campaign nationwide. This campaign consists of two 11" x 17" posters endorsed by the Parent Heart Watch Medical Advisory Board and aims to help protect young lives and educate those who work and live with youth about the observations and actions that can make the difference between life and death.
 You can help educate adults and youths in your community by placing these posters in highly visible public areas at schools, recreation centers, public libraries, places of worship and other youth-serving organizations. It is important to first obtain authorization from the school district or youth serving organization before distributing/placing the posters. You can also encourage others to download the 8˝" x 11" size versions of the posters by visiting our web site at www.parentheartwatch.org. If you would like to participate in the ongoing YOU Make the Difference! campaign, contact Laura Friend at Laura@parentheartwatch.org. |
Ask Laura... 
Laura Friend, Associate Executive Director and Membership Coordinator, will respond to frequently asked questions. If you have a question for Laura that may also be of interest to other members, please send it to Laura@parentheartwatch.org. Laura will collect these questions, select the most commonly asked question and then respond to it in the next newsletter. Dear Laura, We have never attended a PHW conference and are considering attending this year. What should we expect?
The PHW Conference is truly a unique opportunity for members and others that support the PHW mission to come together, gain knowledge and share information. You will also form new relationships and friendships that will ultimately strengthen your present and future advocacy efforts. If you are a Parent or Associate Member attending our conference for the first time, a mentor will be assigned to you for the duration of the conference.
Everyone attending the PHW Conference realizes our purpose and motive for being there. In that respect, there is an unspoken understanding amongst us all about why we so passionately advocate for change.
You will be empowered by the program activities and camaraderie.
Fondly,
Laura |
Parent Heart Watch 5th Annual National Conference
"Make Our Kids Count" Every Youth/Every Time: Campaign for a National Registry of SCA in Youth
When: January 15 - January 18, 2010
Where: Sheraton Arlington Hotel
1500 Convention Center Drive
Arlington, Texas 76011
Join the best networking and advocacy forum for the prevention of Sudden Cardiac Arrest in youth! The agenda includes a distinguished physicians' panel, the latest cardiac health updates, genetics, best-practices for public access defibrillation programs and cardiac screenings, legislation updates, and motivational speakers.
Tentative Agenda
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Join PHW Now or Renew Your Membership Today!
Thank you to our current members for your commitment to Parent Heart Watch.
The $49 annual membership fee includes, but is not limited to, a PHW New Member Resource Kit to help educate your community, networking opportunities with PHW members across the globe, representation at the national level, information from top medical experts in the field of sudden cardiac arrest in youth, access to up-to-the minute and archived heart-related news stories and articles, $400.00 travel reimbursement per family (Parents & Associate Members only) for first-time attendees of the PHW Annual National Conference.
Remember, Parent Heart Watch is the only national organization solely dedicated to protecting youth from Sudden Cardiac Arrest and preventable Sudden Cardiac Death. Your voice makes Parent Heart Watch stronger.
Membership Application 2010 |
| Ask The Doctor...
"Ask The Doctor" questions & answers are addressed by our PHW Medical Advisory Board. The following question was answered by Jonathan Drezner, MD., Department of Family Medicine, University of Washington.
Question: "When talking to the public and media, we would like state facts on the numbers of lives that are lost each year to sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), for adults and children. There are many different numbers. What is your suggestion on what numbers we can safely say and what organization, if any, should we use as a source?"
 Answer: This is a very important question. While estimates exist, it is important to recognize that the U.S. does not have a mandatory national registry to track deaths from sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) or cardiovascular disease. Therefore, the exact number of deaths lost to SCA each year in the U.S. is based on studies that may have incomplete case identification and thus underestimate the scope of the problem. For adults, the American Heart Association [1] estimates that over 300,000 adults per year die from SCA. This is the leading cause of mortality in the U.S.
For children and adolescents, the estimates may be less precise. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) [2] reports that approximately 2400 lives are lost each year due to cardiovascular disease in individuals under age 24. This includes infants and young children that may die from congenital heart disease and not SCA. The CDC reports that about 1400 adolescents and young adults (age 15-24) die annually due to cardiovascular disease. [2] It is not specified how many of these cases are due to SCA, and these numbers may not capture all the cases either. It seems reasonable to state that between 1000-2000 children under 24 die from SCA each year in the U.S.
1. Rosamond W, Flegal K, Furie K, et al. American Heart Association Statistics Committee and Stroke Statistics Subcommittee. Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics-2008 Update: A Report From the American Heart Association Statistics Committee and Stroke Statistics Subcommittee. Circulation. 2008; 117: e25 - e146.
2. National Vital Statistics Report for 2005. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: 56(10), April 2008 |
Birthday Fundraising Campaign...
 Celebrate Parent Heart Watch's birthday with the best no-frills, calorie free, birthday party this year!
No need to search for that perfect present. Donations of any amount make the best present, and every dollar goes towards programs and services that will help save young lives. Your continued support is crucial to the success of Parent Heart Watch and its ongoing efforts to educate key decision-makers, medical practioners, legislators and members about protecting young lives from Sudden Cardiac Arrest. To donate now, simply follow this link and select "Fundraising Campaign" from the dropdown menu. Thank you! |
| New Member Spotlight - The Wolthusens
 Mary and John Wolthusen are PHW Parent Members. Mary, John, Brian, and Leann live in Woodridge, Illinois. They joined PHW in July 2009. The Wolthusens lost their son Danny to obstructed hypertrophic cardiomyopathy on August 21, 2007.
"Danny was a light in our lives. Quietly outgoing, Danny was artistic, with a particular love of and gift for decorative wood-burning, music, poetry and Native American spirituality."
pictured to the right are Brian, Mary & Danny
 "As a child, Danny had a couple of fainting episodes, including one in PE class in grade school. An alert PE teacher demanded that Danny be checked. An examination that followed discovered a heart murmur. Danny was watched and treated for several years by a pediatric cardiologist. When Danny entered high school, we were told he was fine, could join the swim team and no longer needed to be seen or treated. On August 21, 2007, Danny returned from a long weekend in Michigan where he had been swimming, sunning and hauling firewood with his fiancé. When Danny did not report for work the next morning, it was discovered that he had died in the night. He was 29 years old."
Mary encourages local schools to make faculty and staff aware of the concerns of Sudden Cardiac Arrest and the importance of knowing where AEDs are located. Mary distributed Parent Heart Watch posters to local schools in observance of National Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) Awareness Month. She works as a volunteer for Young Hearts for Life, providing free cardiac screenings for young adults.
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Stewart's Picks
Click on title to review the entire article.
Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions
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Experienced Member Spotlight - Michaela Gagne
 Michaela Gagne was a healthy, three-season athlete in high school when she abruptly almost became unconscious at a track finish line. It took two years for a diagnosis of LongQT Syndrome to emerge, and at 17-years-old, Michaela had her first Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD) surgically placed. Devastated that her dreams to play soccer in college were shattered, Michaela decided to turn her obstacles into opportunities. She made the unlikely decision to enter the pageant world, eventually becoming Miss Massachusetts 2006 and competing in the Miss America 2007 pageant. Michaela used her title to tell her story nationally and internationally, becoming a national spokesperson for Parent Heart Watch, the American Heart Association, and other outstanding organizations.
Michaela's advocacy and speaking have continued after her reign, and she has spoken at the Massachusetts State House and on Capitol Hill many times about her story and needed heart-related legislation. Locally she fights to fundraise and place AEDs, personally provide CPR training, and educate the public about Sudden Cardiac Arrest and how we can protect those susceptible to it, especially our kids. She recently organized the 2009 Fall River Children's Healthy Heart Festival in her hometown, an event that drew hundreds of citizens in an effort to educate the public about heart disease and healthy choices for life.
Additionally, Michaela uses her background in teaching, counseling, and art therapy to provide tools and resources for parents, survivors, and others who have been affected by heart disease. To learn more about Michaela and her work, please visit: www.michaelagagne.com |
Your Donations Make a Difference! 
To donate now, please make your check payable to Parent Heart Watch and mail to P.O. Box 822181, Fort Worth, TX 76182 or you can make donations online. Transactions conducted on our website are encrypted using a secure server to protect your privacy. All major credit cards are accepted.
Your contributions are greatly appreciated. | |
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