When Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed on Jan. 2 during a game in Cincinnati, it brought the reality of sudden cardiac arrest into the homes of 24 million people watching and millions more in the weeks that followed.
The automated external defibrillator (AED) industry refers to the increased awareness and demand for AEDs as “The Damar Effect.” An AED was used to help save Hamlin’s life, and the exposure has led to a backlog of orders for the devices.
It has also impacted foundations run by families who have lost athletes to sudden cardiac arrest. Those that raise money in order to donate AEDs have been inundated with requests ― so much so that monetary donations to the foundations can’t keep up.
Anthony Bates Foundation Official website Honoring: Anthony Bates Cause: Offers heart screenings in Arizona
Andra Heart Foundation Official website Honoring: Andra Dalrymple Cause: Offers CPR training
AZ Foundation: Jerry Colangelo Center for Sports Philanthropy Official website Cause: Raises funds to provide athletic trainers at every post-season game high school game in the state
Steven Gootter Foundation Official website Honoring: Steven Gootter Cause: Donates AEDs to schools
T.O.P.S. (Team of Physicians for Students) Official website Cause: Provides free physicals with EKG
Know a foundation focused on athlete health and safety that isn’t listed? Submit it here.
A Piece of My Heart Official website Honoring: Morgan Manning Cause: Offers CPR training and AED donations
Advocates for Injured Athletes Official website | Facebook page Cause: Promotes sports safety and provides education and resources to help keep athletes safe
Ava’s Heart Official website Cause: Supports heart transplant patients and donor families
Eric Paredes Save A Life Foundation Official website | Facebook page Honoring: Eric Paredes Cause: Provides heart screenings and places AEDs in the community, works on legislation focused on sudden cardiac arrest
Just1Mike Official website | Facebook page Honoring: Michael Brindley Cause: Raises awareness for sudden cardiac arrest by providing heart screenings
Kyle J. Taylor Foundation Official website | Facebook page Honoring: Kyle J. Taylor Cause: Youth heart screenings, AED donations to youth sports programs and CPR/AED training
Korey Stringer Institute Official website | Facebook page Honoring: Korey Stringer Cause: Researches, educates and advocates on the health and safety of athletes at all levels of play
Matthew Krug Foundation Official website Honoring: Matthew Krug Cause: Educates on sudden cardiac arrest, increases AED availability, provides cardiac screenings and works to improve pre-participation physical exams
Know a foundation focused on athlete health and safety that isn’t listed? Submit it here.
Every Second Counts CPR Official website
Cause: Offer donation-based CPR classes in South Florida
HeartCharged Official website | Instagram page
Cause: Provide heart screenings and CPR/AED training, as well as bring together a community of sudden cardiac arrest survivors
Jessica Clinton MVP Foundation Official website | Facebook page Honoring: Jessica Clinton Cause: Heart screenings and AED donations in Florida
The Mac Parkman Foundation Official website | Facebook page Honoring: Mac Parkman Cause: Raises awareness regarding concussive trauma
Who We Play For Official website | Facebook page Honoring: Rafe Maccarone Cause: Offers heart screenings in Florida and nationwide
Zach Martin Memorial Foundation Official website | Facebook page Honoring: Zach Martin Polsenberg Cause: Donates cold-water immersion tubs and wet bulb globe thermometers, works on legislation and promotes exertional heat illness prevention measures
Know a foundation focused on athlete health and safety that isn’t listed? Submit it here.
JT3 Foundation Official website | Facebook page Honoring: Johnnt Tolbert Cause: Increases exertional heat stroke awareness through cold tub donations and advocating for legislation regarding exertional heat stroke training
Keep Imani Foundation Official website Honoring: Imani Bell Cause: Promotes exertional heat awareness and cold tubs
Project S.A.V.E. Official website Cause: Raises awareness for sudden cardiac arrest; brings CPR training and AEDs to every county in Georgia, awards HeartSafe certificates to schools in Georgia
Smiling Hearts – The Nick Blakley Foundation Official website | Facebook page Honoring: Nick Blakley Cause: Increases access to AEDs, works with athletic associations to implement training standards and safety protocols and advocates for sudden cardiac arrest legislation
Know a foundation focused on athlete health and safety that isn’t listed? Submit it here.
Yakima Heart Safe Initiative Official website Honoring: All those lost before their time due to the absence of vital preparedness Cause: Donates AED, provides EAP assistance, instruction, aftercare for those who rendered care and witness sudden cardiac arrest
Know a foundation focused on athlete health and safety that isn’t listed? Submit it here.
Greg Holthaus Memorial Fund Facebook page Honoring: Greg Holthaus Cause: Provide training, testing and equipment vital to preventing and treating sudden cardiac arrest
Zac Mago Foundation Official website | Facebook page Honoring: Zac Mago Cause: Provides awareness, education and prevention of sudden cardiac arrest with heart screenings in Northern Indiana
Know a foundation focused on athlete health and safety that isn’t listed? Submit it here.
Jordan Robert Mann Foundation Official website | Facebook page Honoring: Jordan Robert Mann Cause: Provides heart screenings and financial support to like-minded organizations
My-HeartCheck Official website | Facebook page Cause: Provides heart screenings including echos across Kansas and six other states
Cameron’s Cause Official website | Facebook page Honoring: Cameron Batson Cause: Provides AED donations in Northern Kentucky
Matthew Mangine Jr. “One Shot” Foundation Official website | Facebook page Honoring: Matthew Mangine Jr. Cause: Teaches hands-only CPR training, provides AED donations and advocates for legislation related to sudden cardiac arrest and venue-specific emergency action plans
Know a foundation focused on athlete health and safety that isn’t listed? Submit it here.
The Jordan McNair Foundation Official website | Facebook page Honoring: Jordan McNair Cause: Advocates for exertional heat illness awareness and legislation surrounding exertional heat
Know a foundation focused on athlete health and safety that isn’t listed? Submit it here.
Forever 9 Foundation Official website | Facebook page Honoring: Robbie Levine Cause: Donates AEDs to any place where kids play and provides AED/CPR training
Louis J. Acompora Memorial Foundation Official website | Facebook page Honoring: Louis Acompora Cause: Provides heart screenings and AED donations
Matthew Gfeller Foundation Official website Honoring: Matthew Gfeller Cause: Researches traumatic brain injuries through the University of North Carolina
Matthew Mangine Jr. “One Shot” Foundation Official website | Facebook page Honoring: Matthew Mangine Jr. Cause: Teaches hands-only CPR training, provides AED donations and advocates for legislation related to sudden cardiac arrest and venue-specific emergency action plans
Daniel E. Rumph II Foundation Official website | Facebook page Honoring: Daniel E. Rumph II Cause: Provides heart screenings and places AEDs in recreation centers and public facilities
Louis T. Savino III Foundation Official website | Facebook page Honoring: Louis T. Savino III Cause: Promotes awareness of sudden cardiac death in youth and purchases AEDs for schools, camps and sports facilities
As One Foundation Official website | Facebook page Honoring: Devaughn Darling Cause: Provides sickle cell trait & disease screenings, as well as hydration education
Cody Stephens ‘Go Big or Go Home’ Foundation Official website | Facebook page Honoring: Cody Stephens Cause: Provides heart screenings and advocates for sudden cardiac arrest-related legislation
Damani Gibson Foundation Official website Honoring: Damani Gibson Cause: Provides heart screenings
