Ready, Set, Rescue!

When seconds could mean the difference between life and death for a sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) victim, be sure your automated external defibrillator (AED) is visible, easily accessible and maintained, just like a fire extinguisher. It matters where you place it, how you hang it, if anyone can reach it, that someone takes care of it, if everyone can spot it, and that your entire community knows they can use it!

Be That Someone

Think of the last time you were in a stadium and someone started a wave. It didn’t take long before the entire stadium joined in to create an incredible movement. We need you to champion this movement and be that someone who saves a young life from sudden cardiac arrest. We have come so far, but can’t do it alone. Join us.

SCA Prevention for Athletic Trainers

Athletic trainers know that sudden cardiac arrest is a real threat to young athletes and so have been champions of prevention in their sports programs. This training elevates their ability to create a culture of prevention by incorporating protocol to recognize warning signs and risk factors of an undetected heart condition that put athletes at risk, as well as preparing their sports community to respond to a cardiac emergency.

Sudden Cardiac Arrest Prevention Training

It's critical for coaches, officials and administrators of youth sports programs to have sudden cardiac arrest prevention training. Learning to recognize warning signs that occur in up to 72% of youth stricken by SCA, and understanding how to create a culture of prevention in your community so all are prepared to respond to a cardiac emergency will save lives. Parent Heart Watch is pleased to collaborate on this initiative with EP Save A Life and Coach Safely, who is hosting the training at CoachSafely.org.

Protect Their Hearts

As primary care practitioners, you are on the front lines when it comes to protecting young hearts from sudden death. And yet, studies show that cardiac consideration is an often overlooked area of assessment, with practitioners and parents largely unfamiliar with warning signs and risk factors that require follow up. In fact, the standard approach to exams can miss up to 90% of heart abnormalities. Incorporate prevention into your practice today.

How Parent Heart Watch Makes A Difference

In their own words, our members reflect on how Parent Heart Watch has made an impact on their lives and in their work to advance our shared vision to eliminate preventable deaths and disabilities from sudden cardiac arrest in youth. Whether you want to champion our cause at home with family and friends or in your community or state, you can join our national movement to protect young hearts. Together We Will.

Call Push Shock

This inspirational video was created by a collaboration of Sudden Cardiac Arrest prevention champions committed to educating you and your community about how anyone can save a life. Bystander intervention is the only way to increase survival rates for Sudden Cardiac Arrest victims. Research shows that once the public understands that their intervention could mean the difference between life and death, they are willing to Call Push Shock. To join the national movement, visit CallPushShock.org.

Don't Just Check the Box (short version)

Too often risk factors and symptoms of a potential heart condition get missed at home, on the field and in the doctor’s office. We need to be more intentional about the cardiac risk assessment of our youth. Let’s stop checking the box and check in on family heart history and warning signs that put kids at risk for sudden cardiac arrest.

Who is Parent Heart Watch?

Parent Heart Watch is a dynamic platform of parents who have lost a child to sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), parents whose child survived (SCA) or is living with a heart condition, young survivors, medical practitioners, allied health professionals and other passionate advocates who have come together to protect young hearts. Together we cultivate prevention champions, architect collaborations to make prevention a priority, and equip caregivers with the tools to create a culture of prevention anywhere youth congregate. Join us!

Don't Just Check the Box (extended version)

Too often risk factors and symptoms of a potential heart condition get missed at home, on the field and in the doctor’s office. We need to be more intentional about the cardiac risk assessment of our youth. Let’s stop checking the box and check in on family heart history and warning signs that put kids at risk for sudden cardiac arrest.

The Next Generation of Life Savers

In our national movement to protect young hearts, the flag bearers of this critical initiative are the young people who have become committed sudden cardiac arrest prevention champions. SCA survivors and young people living with a heart condition are joined by youth found at risk and other passionate advocates who strive to inspire, educate and mobilize the next generation of leaders working to prevent sudden cardiac death in youth. We invite you to be a part of our Youth Heart Squad.

Every Second Counts!

A cardiac emergency can be confusing and frightening, which can delay getting help to the victim. It’s vital to prepare now to be ready to take immediate action when someone suddenly collapses and is unresponsive. Watch how people become empowered to help once they are educated about sudden cardiac arrest how the Cardiac Chain of Survival can triple a person’s chance of survival. A collaboration with the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation

The Cardiac Chain Of Survival

Greetings Youth Caregiver. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to be prepared in the event of a cardiac emergency. Sudden Cardiac Arrest is the #1 killer of student athletes and the leading cause of death on school campuses. 1 in 300 youth has an undetected heart condition that puts them at risk. Learning the Cardiac Chain of Survival will make it POSSIBLE for you to protect young hearts. Watch the five steps that can save a life.

The Most Important ASK You’ll Make

1 in 300 youth has an undetected heart condition that puts them at risk for sudden cardiac arrest – the #1 killer of student athletes and part of the #2 medical cause of death under 25. Many heart conditions go unrecognized either because there are no symptoms, or symptoms are not recognized and family risk factors are unknown. Know the warning signs and check your child’s heart. Take the Prevention Promise.

Your Support Helps Us Save Lives

The biggest misconception about Sudden Cardiac Arrest is that it just happens and there’s nothing you can do about it. But the truth is, we can do something. Take a look at how Parent Heart Watch is compelling parents, educators, coaches, counselors and anyone who works with youth to Take the Prevention Promise.

GIVE NOW

Be Aware: SCA Is Not So Rare

Sudden cardiac arrest in youth is not rare. It’s the #1 killer of student athletes and contributes to the #2 medical cause of death under 25, and is the leading cause of death on school campuses. The vision of Parent Heart Watch is to eliminate preventable deaths and disabilities from SCA in youth by 2030. These Parent Heart Watch parents share their personal story of loss to help parents understand the critical need to protect young hearts.

Look Into Your Child’s Heart

One in 300 youth have an undetected heart condition that can put them at risk for sudden cardiac arrest. But most youth don’t report or recognize symptoms. So why aren’t EKG screenings part of well-child or pre-participation sports exams? Parent Heart Watch parents share the stories of their lost youth to help other families avert this tragic loss of life. Take the Prevention Promise and support our vision to eliminate preventable deaths and disabilities from SCA in youth by 2030.

AEDs Are Critical to SCA Survival

Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) are the only way to save a person’s life who is in sudden cardiac arrest, yet there is no national standard to make AEDs widespread and accessible everywhere youth congregate, including our schools. The chance for sudden cardiac arrest survival decreases by 10% with each minute’s delay. The vision of Parent Heart Watch is to eliminate preventable deaths and disabilities from sudden cardiac arrest in youth by 2030. Take the Prevention Promise and learn what you can do to champion AEDs in our schools and youth centers.

ESPN’s Wilbon on Sudden Death Prevention

ESPN sports commentator Michael Wilbon talks about how the Cardiac Chain of Survival—recognizing SCA, calling 911, starting hands-only CPR, retrieving an AED—can save the life of a sudden cardiac arrest victim.

PHW 10th Anniversary

Parent Heart Watch members commemorate a decade of work to advance sudden cardiac arrest prevention in youth by sharing their personal stories of loss and what they now know it takes to protect young hearts.

Stories of Loss and Survival

Parents share their personal stories of children they’ve lost to Sudden Cardiac Arrest and children who have survived, and talk about how together as Parent Heart Watch they have taken steps to prevent SCA from afflicting other families.