The Peyton Walker Foundation (PWF), a nationally prominent heart screening advocate and leader in providing CPR and AED training and equipment donations, proudly dedicates Pennsylvania’s first “SaveStation” containing an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) available for public use 24/7 in a heart emergency. Today, PWF teamed up with Downtown Camp Hill Association and ZOLL to install the unit in Camp Hill’s thriving business district.
“Having a readily accessible AED can mean the difference between life and death during Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA),” said Julie Walker, Peyton’s mom and Foundation Director. “I’m proud of this milestone, especially since SCA is a leading cause of death in the U.S. We hope it’s the first of many SaveStations in Pennsylvania! AEDs save lives.”
“I saw firsthand how an AED saves a life. AED accessibility is vital,” added East Penn Little League Coach Matt Pearson who saved a mom’s life with a PWF-donated AED last summer.
Walker was joined by Sue Pera, Cornerstone Coffeehouse, who hosts the SaveStation, Camp Hill Mayor Mark Simpson, Police Chief Stephen Margeson, PA State Reps. Sheryl Delozier and Greg Rothman, Sen. Mike Regan’s Office, Anne Deeter Gallaher of Downtown Camp Hill Association, businesses and others.
Mayor Simpson stated, “I’ve witnessed how crucial defibrillators are during heart emergencies. We thank the Foundation and businesses for investing in the health of our neighbors. Bystanders using AEDs while waiting for EMS can increase survival rates.”
“We are so thankful for Julie Walker’s tireless campaign to educate Pennsylvania on the facts about Sudden Cardiac Arrest and the role strategically placed AEDs play in saving lives. On behalf of the Downtown Camp Hill Association board and through the generous support of our partner businesses, we are honored to support the first SaveStation in PA at Cornerstone Coffeehouse,” says Anne Deeter Gallaher, owner/CEO, Deeter Gallaher Group LLC and board member.
SaveStations are weatherproof cabinets installed outdoors making an AED accessible during heart emergencies. An AED is a portable device that checks the heart rhythm and sends an electric shock to try to restore a heart’s normal rhythm.
Peyton Walker was a 19-year-old college student pursuing a healthcare career when SCA stole her young life in 2013. The Foundation’s mission is to increase awareness and survival rates of SCA. Visit PeytonWalker.org.
PWF recently secured enactment of “Peyton’s Law” aimed at educating parents and students about the prevalence of SCA and the importance of EKG testing of youth. Peyton’s Law (2nd state in the country to enact) requires:
- PIAA sports forms include the importance of EKG testing and how it can help detect heart issues.
- Schools to include information outlining the option to request an EKG at the family’s expense.
About Sudden Cardiac Arrest and AED Intervention:
- The majority of out-of-hospital Cardiac Arrests (OHCA) occurs at public settings (18.8%) and mostly homes/residences (69.5%).
- People are more likely to survive a cardiac arrest if a bystander uses a defibrillator while waiting for emergency medical services to arrive.
- Quickly shocking the heart with an AED can save a person’s life during a cardiac arrest. Experts estimate that each year more than 18,000 Americans have a shockable cardiac arrest outside of a hospital that occurs in public with witnesses.
- Currently, about 9 in 10 people who have cardiac arrest outside the hospital die. But CPR can help improve those odds. If it is performed in the first few minutes of cardiac arrest, CPR can double or triple a person’s chance of survival.
ABOUT THE PEYTON WALKER FOUNDATION:
Peyton Walker was a 19-year-old Mechanicsburg native, 2012 Trinity High School graduate, and a sophomore in college who was pursuing a career as a Physician Assistant at King’s College in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, when she suffered a Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) that took her young and vibrant life on November 2, 2013. Afterwards, her family started researching Sudden Cardiac Arrest, and found that kids are dying every day from undiagnosed heart issues. THE PEYTON WALKER FOUNDATION was established in honor of Peyton’s memory and her dreams of working in the medical profession to help and care for others. The Foundation’s mission is to increase awareness and survival rates of Sudden Cardiac Arrest through education, screening and training. Events, screenings and important updates can be found at PeytonWalker.org.
To date, they are proud to have screened over 3,500 students leading to potential life-saving medical attention for many students. The Foundation also provides AED and CPR training to every STUDENT who attends their heart screenings allowing students and their families a chance to perform hands-on CPR and gain a better understanding of what an AED is and how to use it. The Foundation has donated over 115 Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) to date, and also has provided over $75,000 in educational scholarships and hundreds of other FREE community CPR and AED Trainings.
Founder Julie Walker has worked with Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Duke University, Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital at NYU, Penn State Children’s Hospital, UPMC Children’s Hospital and UPMC Pinnacle, WellSpan, Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health, Geisinger Health, PIAA, Big 33, PA Scholastic Football Coaches Association and beyond. Advocates, parents and medical professionals recognize that more can be done to protect student athletes to reduce the occurrence of SCA in our children.
Facts about Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA):
- SCA is one of the leading causes of death in the U.S. (over 600,000 annually).
- SCA is the #1 killer of student athletes in the U.S.
- Every hour, every day, a student dies from SCA. The majority of those deaths are attributed to detectable and treatable heart conditions that went undiagnosed due to the limited scope of standard sports physicals and well-child check-ups.
- SCA is the leading cause of death on school campuses.
- Survival rates of SCA are less than 10%.
- Some warning symptoms that can lead to SCA include: dizziness, fainting, shortness of breath, chest pain, lightheadedness, and passing out. The first symptom of SCA is often sudden death. However, the use of AEDs and CPR increases the chances of surviving an SCA event.
RECENT RESEARCH:
A recently published study that appeared in the Journal of the American Heart Association states that the purpose of cardiovascular screening (electrocardiogram testing) is to “identify or raise suspicion of previously unrecognized and largely genetic or congenital cardiovascular diseases known to cause sudden cardiac arrest and sudden death in young people.” Most experts believe that early detection of potentially lethal disorders can decrease cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.