2017 Local Hero Champions

After the loss of their 12-year-old daughter, Andra, in October 2010 to undetected Long QT Syndrome, Jenine and Phillip started Andra Heart Foundation. The Dalrymple family has since found out that Phillip (dad), and Andra’s younger sister, Grace, 16, have Long QT Syndrome. The foundation has provided heart screenings for 3,400 students in Arizona and Washington, and donated 13 AEDs to schools and other organizations. One of the things Jenine learned is that hydration is good for heart health. This past year the foundation donated hydration stations and water bottles to Flowing Wells Junior High, the school that Andra attended. They also launched Andra Heart Speaker Series to raise awareness and foster better prevention and intervention of SCA in children and teens, particularly in young athletes.

2017 Young Survival Champion

Millions of people have seen Claire’s story of survival from a sudden cardiac arrest on October 13, 2015, thanks to a Facebook post the following February by Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s Project S.A.V.E. The post generated over 35 million views around the world, bringing awareness to SCA.

Upon recovery, Claire wanted to continue the exposure of SCA in youth. She partnered with her electrophysiologist to speak to Emory School of Medicine students about her heart condition, symptoms and misdiag­nosis prior to her SCA, striving to educate new medical professionals about the reality of undetected youth heart conditions and advocate for prevention.

Given the Cardiac Chain of Survival saved Claire’s life, she also spends ample time advocating for secondary prevention. She is partnering with Lord Wedgewood Charity of Birmingham, AL to raise money for AEDs and heart monitoring equipment. She’s worked with EMS Safety Services, Inc. of California for AED/CPR instructor and student training videos to be released later in 2016. Claire also participated in the American Heart Association Executive Breakfast to launch the 2016 Heart Walk campaign to raise money for AEDs to be donated to organizations in need.

2017 Media Advocacy Champions

Alan and Sarah are producers for 60 Minutes Sports. They spent countless hours talking to PHW Board Members, parents, medical professionals, young athletes and others for a comprehensive and balanced story on the importance of prevention titled “A Heart of an Athlete” that aired on Showtime in 2016.

After graduating from NYU School of Journalism, Alan worked at CBS News, with a show called West 57th Street with Meredith Vieira and Steve Kroft. From there he helped start Dateline and then settled in for almost 19 years with 20/20. He joined 60 Minutes Sports in 2013.

Sarah has been with 60 Minutes since 2015, with a long career as a writer and/or editor for outlets such as ESPN.com, Fast Company, Bon Appetit, and many more.

2016 Allied Health Professional Advocacy Champion
Michael has been working in public safety for over 20 years. He is a licensed Connecticut Paramedic and National Emergency Dispatch Instructor. He operates a private public safety consulting firm and currently holds the position of Director of EMS and 911 for the Town of Stratford, Connecticut. In his role as Director of EMS and 911, Michael has worked hard to enhance sudden cardiac arrest response in Stratford through staff and community education, policy and protocol updates, and providing responders and dispatchers with the latest cardiac care technology. Stratford EMS has recently received several awards including HEARTSafe designation, Mission LifeLine Silver EMS and the Connecticut Governors Award honoring an organization that has enhanced understanding and support of the EMS system through their public service, community education and contributions to a city, town, region or the state as a whole.

2016 Adult Advocacy Champions
Scott and Melody Stephens were married in 1983 after they finished their degrees at Texas A&M University. They had 3 children – Clay 28, Katie 25 and Cody – who died of Sudden Cardiac Arrest in May of 2012 and was 18 at the time. Scott is a full-time real estate appraiser and owner of Scott Stephens and Associates, Inc. Melody has just begun her affiliation with ProjectAdam at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston. After Cody was lost, Scott and Melody started a foundation to offer free ECG screening to Texas student athletes. Using some of Cody’s last words to his dad, the Cody Stephens Go Big or Go Home Memorial Foundation was formed in 2012. Since that time, the foundation has raised approximately $700,000 and has screened over 50,000 student athletes in collaboration with Who We Play For. Scott and Melody introduced Texas House Bill 767, which would require ECGs to be included with sports physicals twice in an athlete’s career, unless the athlete declines to be tested. It passed the Texas House of Representatives in the Spring of 2015, but failed in the Senate Committee. In keeping with Cody’s motto, Scott and Melody will continue their legislative efforts to “Go Big” in Texas.

2016 Youth Advocacy Champion
Sameer Jafri founded Saving Hearts Foundation in October 2014 at the age of 18. He was inspired by the efforts of the EP Save A Life Foundation while he attended high school in San Diego. The mission of Saving Hearts Foundation is to provide free preventative heart screenings to youth in order to test for underlying heart conditions that may lead to sudden cardiac arrest. In addition, the Foundation strives to teach our youth how to perform CPR and use AEDs and works to place AEDs in schools and community centers that cannot afford to purchase them on their own. In just a year, Saving Hearts has screened nearly 1,000 people domestically and abroad. The Foundation has also worked to raise awareness about sudden cardiac arrest by speaking at various Los Angeles area high schools. In addition, because of a number of generous contributions by local community members, Saving Hearts is in the process of placing 4 AEDs in schools that previously had none. The entire Saving Hearts Foundation team is comprised of college students who are looking to be the future of sudden cardiac arrest prevention for many years to come.

2016 Young Survivor Advocacy Champion
Jack’s story began in the summer of 2012. He went to Haiti with his father, a cardiologist, and sister on a medical mission trip to a remote trip to St. Rock, a remote village in the mountains in the mountains above Port au Prince, Haiti. Jack volunteered in an orphanage and helped out in the clinic, performing ECGs. His father secured an old donated ECG machine and used Jack as the test case. Jack wasn’t told until he returned home that his ECG was abnormal. After an echocardiogram it was discovered that he had a major congenital abnormality that went unidentified, even though he had seen seven pediatricians throughout his life. Jack required life-saving open heart surgery in October of 2012.
Two years later, Jack and his father learned about the Cody Stephens Go Big or Go Home Foundation. They found out about Texas Bill 767 being sponsored by the Stephens’ and travelled to Texas to testify in support of the heart screening bill. Although it didn’t pass the Senate, Jack feels it’s his moral obligation to protect other kids from SCA. He plans to pursue a career in medicine.