If a sudden cardiac arrest happened at your school, would you be ready?
On average, almost 1,000 people every day experience sudden cardiac death in the United States. The sudden cardiac death survival rate in the U.S. is only 10.6% and affects young children, athletes, teachers and parents. All schools in South Carolina have an Automated External Defibrillator (AED), but the presence of an AED is not enough to guarantee a positive outcome, especially when many do not know how to use one.
The MUSC Children’s Health Cardiology team has partnered with Project ADAM to educate schools, nurses, coaches, trainers, parents and others in South Carolina about pediatric sudden cardiac death, and implement public access defibrillators across the state.
To have the best chance of success, schools are encouraged to develop a comprehensive plan and have practice drills. The Heart Safe SC team can help you with this process and have your school recognized as "Heart SAFE." MUSC Children’s Health also has the resources to help execute the SC Comprehensive Health Education Act, which requires each SC district to provide students instruction in CPR and awareness of AEDs at least once during grades nine through 12.
Project ADAM comes from Adam Lemel, a high school student who collapsed and died while playing basketball in 1999. Adam’s death was one of a series of deaths that could have been helped with an AED. Project ADAM was created in Adam’s memory in collaboration with Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin and Adam’s parents, Patty and Joe.
Please contact Tara Lawson at Project-Adam@musc.edu for more information or to arrange a consultation for your organization.
Heart Safe SC is an affiliate of Project ADAM, a program of Children's Hospital of Wisconsin.
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