The American Heart Association has concluded a three-year national campaign focused on educating students and families at Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Hispanic-Serving Institutions about hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and Hands-Only CPR training. The initiative, which concluded on HCM Awareness Day in February 2026, addressed the disproportionate impact of sudden cardiac death on Black athletes and those participating in sports involving sudden movements like football or basketball.
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is the leading cause of sudden cardiac death in young athletes according to the American Heart Association, with an estimated 1 in 500 people living with the condition, though many cases remain undiagnosed. The campaign intentionally paired HCM education with Hands-Only CPR training because knowing how to respond in the first moments of a cardiac emergency can double or triple survival rates. Hundreds of students, athletes, and community members received hands-on CPR demonstrations as part of the Association's Nation of Lifesavers movement.
The campaign utilized a public service announcement strategy featuring English and Spanish-language radio PSAs and on-campus CPR demonstrations. Messages reinforced the importance of family heart history, early detection, and CPR education, particularly for student-athletes and their families. To extend reach and credibility, the Association collaborated with Black and multicultural media platforms, including a national content integration curated by Sybil Wilkes' "Check In & Check Up" with the State of Black Health: Public Health and Media Symposium at the National Press Club in Washington D.C., reaching more than one million monthly unique visitors across the Black America Web platform.
"When students, coaches and families understand both the risks of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and how to respond immediately to sudden cardiac arrest, we create an environment where prevention and preparedness go hand in hand," said Matthew Martinez, M.D., FAHA, FACC, an American Heart Association volunteer medical expert and co-author of the 2024 American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology Guideline for the Management of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. Martinez added that "culturally responsive, campus-centered outreach, particularly across HBCU and HSI athletic communities, ensures that young athletes are not only informed about their heart health but also feel confident and prepared to step in and help save a life."
The campaign engaged student-athletes and families at HBCU homecomings and rivalry games at institutions including Hampton University, Norfolk State University, Howard University and Xavier University of Louisiana, as well as at the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Basketball Tournament. Additional education took place at conferences such as the United Negro College Fund Leadership Conference and the Hispanic Educational Technology Services Student Experience Summit & Showcase in Puerto Rico. The Association also expanded its Heart Club, the organization's student-led campus organization, to empower students as ongoing heart health ambassadors on their campuses.
The American Heart Association's HCM awareness and education in athletes was made possible in part by a financial grant from the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation. For more information about hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and resources for students, athletes and families, visit https://www.heart.org/HCMStudentAthlete. To learn how to perform Hands-Only CPR, visit https://www.heart.org/HandsOnlyCPR.
