The East Pennsboro PA State Little League Champions are adding a new member to their team, to increase survival rates of young athletes from Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA), The Peyton Walker Foundation. The Foundation will donate an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) to the East Pennsboro Little League during their final practice prior to hitting the road for the Mid-Atlantic regional tournament in Bristol, Connecticut. An additional major announcement will also be made between the partners regarding the establishment of a new fund, “The Beat Goes On AED Fund.” The Team, coaches and parents will then participate in CPR & AED Demos, led by the Foundation and Planet Fitness Partners, prior to practicing.
According to the American Red Cross, AEDs can analyze the heart’s rhythm and, if necessary, deliver an electrical shock, or defibrillation, to help the heart re-establish an effective rhythm. This past weekend, an East Penn Little League mom was saved, thanks to the quick actions of Sue Bruce and Coach Pearson, along with others who used the AED donated to the Dillsburg Little League by The Peyton Walker Foundation. East Penn was in the middle of a Little League game at the Dillsburg Sports Complex when an area mom collapsed, and was saved by the AED and CPR. This is the second such lifesaving incident since Dillsburg installed the devices around their Sports Complex.
Because they are portable, AEDs can be used by anyone to potentially save a life. When someone is in cardiac arrest, it is imperative to follow three critical steps:
- CALL 911
- PUSH hard and fast on the chest (CPR)
- SHOCK with an AED
WHO:
- Tyler Comp, Head Coach, East Pennsboro PA State Champion Little League Team
- Julie Walker, Executive Director, The Peyton Walker Foundation
- Sue Bruce, LPN, Board of Directors, Dillsburg Youth Baseball, helped save Little League Mom
- Matt Pearson, Coach, East Pennsboro Little League Team, helped save Little League Mom
- Planet Fitness Partners
- East Penn State Champions and Coaches
WHAT: A NEW Lifesaving Announcement & AED Donation by The Peyton Walker Foundation to East Penn Little League, followed by AED & CPR Demonstrations
WHEN: Thursday, August 1, 2019, 5 PM
WHERE: Adam Ricci Community Park & Sports Complex, 100 E. Penn Drive, Enola PA 17025
The Peyton Walker Foundation recognizes the vital importance of having these critical devices readily available and works relentlessly to make AEDs available to youth athletic leagues and nonprofits throughout Central Pa. To date, the Foundation has donated more than 100 AEDs.
“We are extremely grateful to Julie and The Peyton Walker Foundation for saving one of our Little League mom’s lives this past weekend, and for making the health and safety of our players and youth a top priority throughout Central Pennsylvania. We value the lifesaving work of the Foundation and appreciate the donation of our AED, which we will take with us on our journey to Mid-Atlantic Regionals and beyond. Upon our return this Summer, we will install it at our home fields in Enola to further protect our players, fans and community, should another Sudden Cardiac Arrest occur,” said Tyler Comp, head coach of the East Pennsboro Little League State Championship Team.
Sudden Cardiac Arrest is the #1 killer of student athletes. Every hour, every day we lose a child to SCA. Survival rates of sudden cardiac arrest are typically less than 10%. During cardiac arrest, brain death begins within a few minutes. The victim’s survival rate drops by an average of 10% for every minute that passes without treatment. Ambulances can take up to 20 minutes to arrive, which in many cases is too late. Therefore, it is critically important to have an AED available.
“This past weekend’s heroic acts by Sue Bruce and Coach Pearson in saving a young player’s mom’s life still have me speechless, and further inspired knowing that our work is having a REAL impact throughout the Region,” said Julie Walker, executive director of the Peyton Walker Foundation. “This is yet another powerful example on why we must have AEDs available at youth sporting events and throughout our state. Additionally, we want to provide CPR & AED training and certification so that more people are able to successfully use these devices to save a life. We are pleased to partner with our PA State Champions and will cheer them on through Mid-Atlantics and the road to Williamsport,” added Walker.
Recently, The Foundation provided AED and CPR demos and donated an AED to the Camp Hill Little League for the State Tournament held last week, where East Penn defeated Newtown Edgmont 5-0 to win the Pennsylvania State Little League Championship. East Penn went undefeated in the State Tournament. The team will depart on Friday, August 2 for Bristol to compete in the Mid-Atlantic tournament which starts on Aug. 4. The winning team will advance to Williamsport for the Little League World Series, where nearby Red Land Little League grabbed the U.S. World Series title in 2015.
More information can be found online at www.peytonwalker.org
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.
- SCA is the leading cause of death on school campuses.
- Most heart conditions that lead to SCA are detectable and treatable.
About Peyton Walker Foundation: The Foundation holds FREE HEART SCREENING CLINICS for students ages 12-19 in the Central PA area. To date, they are proud to have screened approximately 2,500 students leading to potential life-saving medical attention in several cases. 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 provides educational scholarships and other FREE community CPR and AED Trainings. 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 Kings College in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. when she suffered a Sudden Cardiac Arrest that took her young and vibrant life on November 2, 2013. Afterwards, her family started researching SCA, and found that kids are dying every day from heart issues that are NOT diagnosed. The PEYTON WALKER FOUNDATION was established in honor of Peyton’s memory and her dreams of a medical profession to help and care for others. Their 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.