Allied Agency: The California PTA, www.capta.org
Parent Teacher Association (PTA) is the nation’s oldest, largest, and highest profile volunteer organization working on behalf of public schools, children, and families. PTA volunteers work in their schools and communities to improve the education, health, and welfare of all children and youth.
Resource: Parent Heart Watch, www.parentheartwatch.org
Parent Heart Watch was established by parents who have lost a child to sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). Parent Heart Watch is a national network of parents, families, and partners dedicated to reducing SCA in youth. Through their dedicated network, they are turning tragedy into positive actios that will save young lives across the nation. They inform, educate, advocate, and implement nationwide programs that help achieve their mission and vision objectives.
Resource: Sudden Cardiac Arrest Association, www.suddencardiacarrest.org
The Sudden Cardiac Arrest Association (SCAA) is an organization singularly focused on SCA. SCAA identifies and unites survivors, those at risk of SCA, as well as others who are interested in being advocates on SCAA issues in their communities and beyond. Their membership is dedicated to promoting solutions to prevent sudden cardiac death, including increased awareness, immediate bystander action, public access to defibrillation (PAD), cardiovascular disease prevention, and access to preventative therapies.
Partner: Darius Jones Foundation, www.dariusjonesfoundation.org
Darius Jones suffered SCA while competing in a youth basketball game on October 11, 2009. He was just 15 years old. The Darius Jones Foundation provides hope and preventive assistance to athletes and families that could potentially be confronted with this same tragic situation. The Darius Jones Foundation provides education and awareness about the need for CPR training, medical pre-screening, and on-site AED accessibility with a special emphasis on youth and high school athletic programs.
Via Partner: Sequoia Healthcare District, www.sequoiahealthcaredistrict.com
The Sequoia Healthcare District HeartSafe program has placed over 250 defibrillators throughout southern San Mateo County in such locations as police and sheriff vehicles, parks, schools, community centers, and public buildings. Through their extraordinary collaborations with local fire departments and American Heart Association certified CPR instructors, they have trained nearly 2,800 community members in CPR and AED use. To date, three community members’ lives have been saved through the placement of these defibrillators.
