Since February is American Heart Month, tell our readers about a great program available in Georgia called Project S.A.V.E. This post is also dedicated to a dear friend who suffers from a medical heart condition.
A couple of years ago, I watched my friend struggle through a long waiting process. It was confirmed that her two daughters (at the time, 5 and 2) have the same medical heart condition. This momma friend of mine and her two daughters not only have hearts of gold, but also CPVT, a heart condition that could lead to sudden death if not treated. As painful as it was for her to hear that her children were diagnosed, she was grateful that science was able to pinpoint this condition with genetic testing and move forward with early intervention.
Since her daughters are at risk for sudden cardiac arrest, she began advocating that the school her daughter was going to become a “Heart Safe School.” Heart Safe is a program offered by Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. It promotes improving prevention of sudden cardiac arrest. According to CHOA, 1,000 people a day, including 3 children, experience sudden cardiac arrest. Through this program, my friend was able to get her child’s school staff, relatives, and close friends all CPR/AED certified. Not only does CHOA provide comprehensive CPR/AED training, but they are also dedicated to educating Georgia communities on heart health.
I am blessed that I was able to be CPR/AED trained through this program. And, I feel confident that if something were ever to happen to a loved one, I’d be able to provide the proper help. I truly believe that everyone with young children should be educated on what to do in an emergency situation.
If you’d like your place of work, school, or community to become “Heart Safe” and would like to receive CPR/AED training and contact information, click on Project S.A.V.E. CHOA. Let’s help our Georgia communities become heart healthy in 2018!
