October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. Did you know it’s also Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness month? Sudden Cardiac Arrest, or SCA, is a debilitating condition that can affect people of all ages. From infants to healthy, active teens, from adults with known heart disease to older adults, it is a truly equal opportunity affliction that claims a life every two minutes.
SCA is the leading cause of death in the United States. It takes more than 350,000 lives each year. That is more than breast cancer, lung cancer or AIDS.
The Sudden Cardiac Arrest Association, in conjunction with ten other heart-focused non-profit organizations, have published a fact-based webpage, www.stopcardiacarrest.org, to bring focus to this devastating condition.
“With awareness and education, SCAA and its sister organizations, strongly believe that we can and will put a significant dent in this terrible statistic,” said Josh Fischer, chair of the national non-profit SCAA. “Data shows a miserably low survival rate of 10 percent or less. However, when a patient receives lifesaving, hands-only CPR within the first three to six minutes until an AED can be used, or EMS arrives, that survival rate will increase dramatically.”
SCAA believes everyone needs to know three steps to saving a life:
Always call 911.
Get certified. Hands-only CPR administered in the first few minutes until an AED or emergency medical arrives on scene is immensely important.
Be familiar with and know where AEDs (automatic external defibrillators) are located. These life-saving devices bring the power of the ambulance to your fingertips.
Visit www.stopcardiacarrest.org today.
About SCAA
The Sudden Cardiac Arrest Association (SCAA), a non-profit privately funded organization founded in 2005, mission is to broaden public access to early defibrillation. The group focuses on public awareness for SCA, its prevention and treatments for those at risk, and advocates for a wide range of issues related to SCA, including SCA survivor support through its COPE program. SCAA is privately funded through chapter-led fund-raising activities, donations and grants. For more information about SCAA or to discuss donations and grants, visit suddencardiacarrest.org. For AED supplies and survivor awards visit AEDstore.org.
