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The Pulse....Let the Beat Go On!

 
Winter 2013

  
In This Issue
Conference Attendance Breaks Records!
Young Survivors Group Launches Website
AED Grant Available for Private Schools
Congratulations to our Heroes for Young Hearts Award Winners
PHW Launches PTA Initiative
Member News

Our Mission 

Parent Heart Watch is the national voice solely dedicated to protecting youth from Sudden Cardiac Arrest and  preventable Sudden Cardiac Death.    

Parent Heart Watch leads and empowers others by sharing information, educating and advocating for change.

Thanks to our 2013 Conference Sponsors

PHW Attends Youth Sports Safety Alliance 

Communications and State Coordinator Assistant Andrea Sidorow attended the Youth Sports Safety Alliance Summit sponsored by the National Athletic Trainers' Association in Washington, D.C earlier this month.  Andrea represented PHW in the special cardiac events working group that collaborated on a National Action Plan for Sports Safety.   These specific recommended actions for the Cardiac Events section were presented to legislators on Capitol Hill the next day, along with the Secondary School Student Athletes' Bill of Rights.  Learn more here.

PHW Member Upcoming Cardiac Screenings

Timber Creek H.S.
Orlando, Florida 

March 14 & 15
Waubonsee Valley H.S.
Aurora, Illinois
  
March 25
 
April 10
Bishop Blanchet H.S.
Seattle, Washington
  
April 13 
August Heart
CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Hospital
New Braunfels, TX
  

 

In the News  

For the latest news on SCA in youth, visit the PHW website regularly or click the image below. 

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PHW 8th Annual Conference and CME is Recording Breaking Event!

The two hottest topics at the 2013 PHW National Conference in Seattle last month were best practice models and presentation of research data on recent and ongoing studies.  The week began with a hugely successful Continuing Medical Education (CME) program sponsored by Parent Heart Watch in collaboration with the University of Washington School of Medicine.  The two-day CME focused on the prevention of sudden cardiac death in the young, with many of the physician presentations sharing long awaited data on topics related to SCA in youth.   
 

The CME was followed by the PHW Conference, where a record number of attendees took part in the Welcome Dinner on Friday, January 18th.   Topics covered throughout the weekend included cardiac screenings and the need for data,   improving our sports physicals, genetics, the National Sudden Death in Youth registry, hands-only CPR, and legislation.  PHW Members presented best practice models in the areas of cardiac screening, school-based and community public access defibrillation (PAD) programs and building relationships with key stakeholders at the state level.


PHW Members can access all of the presentations in the Members Only area of the PHW website.  Not a member?  Join now!    

 

Young SCA Survivors
Launch Website

 

Connected By Hearts is a recently formed group whose mission is to provide education, support and networking to young survivors of SCA and those who have survived or are living with a heart related illness.  The website, ConnectedByHearts.org,  was created by and for young survivors. Know someone who you think would benefit from linking with other young survivors? Tell them to visit www.ConnectedByHearts.org.

Heart Avengers Private School

Grant Program 

Do you know of a private school that could use an AED?  PHW and HeartSine Technologies have teamed up to offer the Heart Avengers AED Grant Program for private schools. Twenty AED units will be given out through the grant program. The application deadline is March 15. Learn more!

 

   

Congratulations to Our
Heroes for Young Hearts
Award Winners

Five advocates were honored with a Heroes for Young Hearts award at the PHW 2013 Conference in Seattle.  All of the recipients were recognized for their tremendous advocacy work in the area of SCA in youth.  Congratulations to our 2013 Heroes for Young Hearts recipients:

 

Adult Advocacy Champions

Sue Apodaca and Darla Varrenti

 

Youth Advocacy Champion

Sean Burns

 

Survivor Champion

Brittan Sutphin

 

Founders' Award

Jonathan Drezner, M.D.

PHW Launches PTA Initiative

On any given day, up to 20% of the combined United States child and adult population can be found in schools. That's why it is so important for schools to recognize the need to be prepared in case of a sudden cardiac arrest.

 

In 2013, PHW is talking with PTA on a national level, and we are asking all PHW members to support the initiative by reaching out to their state and local PTAs in a grassroots effort. The overall goal is to set the prevention of SCD in youth as a PTA national priority.

For more information and resources, check out the PTA Initiative tab in the members only section of the website, or learn how you can get involved by e-mailing [email protected].

Member News  

Congratulations!  

 

PHW Board Members Karen Acompora and Melinda Murray are featured in the March 2013 issue of Milieu Magazine, a Long Island based publication.  The article features PHW, Heart Screen New York (founded by Karen and Melinda), and the work of Karen's son-in-law, Daniel Montellese, a cardiologist who volunteers with the Louis J. Acompora Memorial Foundation.....PHW Member Norm Okerstrom's collaboration with the Minnesota Sudden Cardiac Arrest Survivors Network, Allina Hospitals and Clinics, and the Rotary Club of Plymouth, Minnesota has resulted in a new Heart Safe initiative to better prepare the community for survival....PHW Member Richard Best and Spencer's HeartStrong Foundation conducted their first heart screening on February 9.  Over 170 teens were tested.

 

Upcoming Events


PHW Members Jim and Karen Zilinski will be hosting the Janet Fund's Annual Night at the Races fundraiser on March 7.  Seventeen year-old SCA survivor Jimmy Dolan will be the guest of honor.....PHW Members Darren and Phyllis Sudman are holding Simon's Day at the Ambler Theatre in Pennsylvania on March 17....

 

Tell us what you are doing! 

 

Send photos and details to [email protected]

 

PHW maintains a vendor neutral policy and may accept financial and/or in-kind donations from vendors to further its mission.  While PHW publicly acknowledges this support,  this shall not be construed to indicate or imply an endorsement or preference by PHW for any specific vendor.