American Heart Association Uses HBCU Football Game to Spotlight Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy and CPR Training
TL;DR
The American Heart Association's HCM awareness campaign provides life-saving knowledge that could give athletes and communities a critical advantage in preventing sudden cardiac death.
The American Heart Association educated fans about HCM detection and Hands-Only CPR techniques through interactive zones and QR code resources at a college football game.
This initiative builds stronger communities by empowering people with heart health knowledge and CPR skills to save lives and improve cardiac arrest survival rates.
Legendary players DeSean Jackson and Michael Vick's college teams competed while fans learned about heart conditions affecting 1 in 500 young people and life-saving CPR.
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The American Heart Association brought critical heart health education directly to football fans during Thursday's Battle of the Legends college football game at Lincoln Financial Field, focusing on hypertrophic cardiomyopathy awareness and Hands-Only CPR training. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is the leading cause of sudden cardiac death among young athletes according to the Association, yet many remain unaware of its prevalence and life-threatening potential.
During the game featuring former NFL stars DeSean Jackson's Delaware State Hornets and Michael Vick's Norfolk State Spartans, the Association hosted an interactive pregame "Heart Health Zone" where attendees could learn about HCM and receive walk-up CPR education. The condition affects approximately 1 in every 500 young people in the United States and is characterized by thickening and stiffening of the heart walls, limiting the heart's ability to pump blood properly.
"Moments like this remind us that heart health belongs everywhere - in our homes, our schools and even at the 50-yard line," said Jennifer Litchman-Green, executive director of the American Heart Association, Greater Philadelphia. "Conditions like HCM are so prevalent, yet so many people don't know how widespread the condition is or how to jump into action if a sudden cardiac arrest episode happens."
The Association's presence at the HBCU event reflects its broader mission to ensure historically underrepresented communities have access to health knowledge and resources. This activation builds on ongoing work with historically black colleges and universities, student-athletes, and community leaders to expand health literacy and improve outcomes for heart disease and stroke across diverse populations.
Participants learned the correct rate and depth of CPR compressions through hands-on training opportunities, adding more people to the Association's Nation of Lifesavers movement. The organization has set an ambitious goal to double cardiac arrest survival rates by 2030. Fans received business cards with QR codes linking to additional resources about HCM, Hands-Only CPR, and information about starting Heart Clubs at schools.
The Association encouraged continued learning through its online resources at https://www.heart.org/HCMStudentAthlete and https://www.heart.org/Nation. The American Heart Association's HCM awareness and education in athletes is supported in part by a grant from the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation, demonstrating collaborative efforts to address this critical health issue affecting young athletes nationwide.
Curated from NewMediaWire
