Sudden cardiac arrest is a leading cause of death in the U.S. More victims could survive with greater public awareness and education and more widespread deployment of automated external defibrillators. Donations to the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation on Wednesday, October 3 through Pittsburgh Gives will be used to help raise awareness about this public health crisis and the simple things anyone can do to save a life.
Pittsburgh, PA (PRWEB)--Congress declared October "National Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month" in 2008. Now, four years--and more than a million deaths later--many people still do not understand that sudden cardiac arrest, which differs from a heart attack, affects more than 1,000 people each day, and on average, fewer than 1 in 10 victims survive.
The Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation, a national 501(c)3 community benefit organization based in Pittsburgh, is working diligently to change this dynamic.
"Research suggests that four in 10 sudden cardiac arrest victims could survive if more people understood the need for immediate bystander intervention with CPR and automated external defibrillators (AEDs)," said Norman S. Abramson, MD, FACEP, FCCM, chairman of the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation's Board of Directors.
Contributions to the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation on October 3 through Pittsburgh Gives, a program of The Pittsburgh Foundation, will be used to help raise awareness about this public health crisis and the simple things anyone can do to save a life. On that day, all donations received from 12:00 AM ET until 11:59:59 PM ET will receive a pro-rated portion of the match pool.
"We are honored to have been selected once again by The Pittsburgh Foundation to participate in this outstanding philanthropic initiative," said Mary Newman, MS, president. "Like other nonprofit organizations, we rely on the generosity of individuals who recognize the importance of dedication to a vital mission that benefits the community, achieved through effective strategies and efficient use of resources."
The organization's strategies for raising awareness include its award-winning website, SCA Survivor Network, online community, award-winning educational campaigns targeted to secondary schools, colleges and universities, and community outreach.
“I can’t stress enough the importance of learning CPR and how to use an AED,” said Susan Koeppen, national spokesperson for the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation. Koeppen, an award winning TV news anchor and mother of three young children, survived sudden cardiac arrest last November thanks to quick actions by bystanders.
For information, visit the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation profile at Pittsburgh Gives.
About the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation
The Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation is a national community benefit 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to raise awareness and save lives threatened by sudden cardiac arrest. The Foundation is the home of the SCA Survivor Network, an online community that provides peer support and opportunities for survivors to “pay it forward” and help save other lives. The Foundation maintains a national database of survivors and experts available to speak with the media.