CALLOWAY COUNTY, KY – It can happen at any time during any game, something can go wrong with dire consequences. That’s why more and more schools are buying Automatic External Defibrillators, a simple device that can save a life by zapping the heart back into its normal rhythm.

On August 6, a 7th grade footbal team was playing a practice game at the Calloway County High School field. During one of the plays, 13-year-old Trey Parks went down after what seemed like a typical hit during a football game.

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VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) – Until February 27, the only thing 15 year-old Josh Bowman worried about was his skateboard.

But all that changed during a skateboarding competition in Virginia Beach. Bowman was right in the middle of a performance at a Virginia Beach skatepark, when he collapsed from a full blown cardiac arrest.

“All I remember is waving my arm and saying, ‘I can’t do it anymore’ and…gone,” Bowman said.

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Capitol Building in Harrisburg, PA

We traveled to Harrisburg, PA to testify before the House Subcommitee on Education.  We were there to support this bill that would mandate AED devices in schools and set up a pilot heart screening program.  We submitted written testimony, but were asked to comment too.  My comments are below:

Chairman Roebuck, Chairman Clymer and Members of the Committee, thank you for inviting me here today to testify. My name is Darren Sudman and I reside in Plymouth Meeting, a town where two boys, Simon Sudman and Vince Bernardo, died from sudden cardiac arrest in the last five years. Simon was my son and Vince was a graduate of PW High School and a freshman at Shippensburg University.  I am here as the father of Simon Sudman and the co-founder of Simon’s Fund.  I am joined here by my wife, Phyllis and Josh Weisman, the fund manager.

Simon’s Fund was started five years ago, following the death of Simon.  In five years, it has provided heart screenings to over 1600 children in the Philadelphia area. 

Before I begin, I want to ask all of you a question. How many of you have been to a mall, sporting event or theme park with your child or grandchild, and turned around to realize that he or she was not there.  For that split second, do you remember that feeling . . . that sick feeling?  That’s what days feel like after your child dies.

Most of you probably assume that we came here today for Simon.  That is only partially true.  We are here today for your children, because one out of every 100 children have a potentially fatal heart condition.

There is good news.  This bill can help.  This bill, which includes the placement of AED devices and providing heart screenings, can reduce the number of childhood deaths.  How do we know?  Because in Italy, where they have been screening the hearts of all of their young athletes for 25 years, they have reduced the number of deaths by 89%.  Did you hear that . . . 89%.

There’s better news.  This bill can address the problem.  We are not asking for billions of dollars to research for a cure.  This bill is just asking for some inexpensive machines – AEDs – and even cheaper tests – ECG exams.

Let’s try this illustration.  If each member of this General Assembly had one child, and we screened the hearts of all 253 children, we would find 2 – 4 children with a serious heart condition.  That is an unacceptable statistic to ignore.

Thank you for giving us the opportunity to share our story today.  Simon’s Fund would like to return here to provide heart screenings for all of your children, and support your efforts on this bill.  We definitely support HB 1803.  Thank you for your time.

The players panicked as they surrounded an unconscious Jonathan Moore on the football field outside Pearland’s Glenda Dawson High School on March 3.

A minute before, the 16-year-old had been running with his teammates prepping for football practice. But Jonathan, a husky fullback and defensive tackle, suddenly collapsed.

His heart had stopped beating. He had no pulse.

Team trainers Matt Thomas and Chris Shaddock hurried to Jonathan’s side and began CPR. Thomas attached an automated external defibrillator to the teen’s chest. It shocked his heart, it started beating again and paramedics rushed the teen to Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston.

Even after being shocked by an AED, the odds of surviving a sudden cardiac arrest can be slim. Things looked dire.

“I was sure he was dead,” Shaddock said.

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Updated: Friday, 26 Feb 2010, 10:28 PM EST
Published : Friday, 26 Feb 2010, 10:28 PM EST

• George
  Franco

Reported By: George Franco | Edited By: Leigah Baugham

Posted: Feb 02, 2010 10:41 PM EST

LA CROSSE (WKOW) — Quick thinking by a University of Wisconsin-La Crosse student saved a fellow student’s life.

Clare Malinowski was in a kickboxing class at the school’s recreation center when she collapsed. Malinowski wasn’t breathing and her heart had stopped.

Two classmates started performing CPR while a staff member brought in a defibrillator.

They were able to save Malinowski, who is now recovering at a local hospital.

“A lot of people who were trained in CPR never thought they would use it, and people who don’t know CPR don’t think they will ever be in this situation, and someone’s who’s perfectly healthy will,” said Kayla Stonehouse, who performed CPR. “It will happen.”

By Tom Glave

Sunday, January 31, 2010

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This is the second save in one week . . .

Little Rock – A high school athlete passes out at a Tuesday night basketball game.

Chris Winston was heading off the court to the bench when he passed out.  It took a defibrillator to bring him back to life.  Winston was taken to Baptist Health in LIttle Rock.  At last check, he did have a pulse, was being treated with an IV and is expected to recover.

Eerily, this happened at Parkview High School: the same school where Antony Hobbs passed out and ultimately died.  Hobbs’ death led to the push for legislation eventually passed in March 2009, providing funding for AEDs in all state schools.  Budget cuts have prevented some schools from buying the life-saving devices, but the LIttle Rock School District bought the final 78 AEDs needed to equip all of their schools on January 11.

Brady Breitenfeldt

A high school student survives sudden cardiac arrest.  Click here for the full story.