Bolt for the Heart donates AEDs to Indiana Law Enforcement - WNDU-TV
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (WNDU) - Today at Franciscan Health Michigan City, Bolt for the Heart presented 68 automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) to Indiana’s Law Enforcement Community members.
Bolt, a non-profit based out of Carmel, IN, has donated more than 2,000 AEDs, including over 450 to Indiana State Police.
In the United States, there are around 356,000 sudden cardiac arrests (SCA) every year, and nearly 90% are fatal (Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation). The vast majority of these happen in the home, at work, or at school, so it is vital that first responders have the necessary tools to help save lives.
“I think it’s really important for us to realize that these officers, every day, go out and put their lives on the line. And I think as a community, it’s not too much to ask that we invest back in them, and these AEDs are either going to save a life that could be a loved one; it could be another officer they save too,” said Pierre Twer, President of Bolt for the Heart.
One of the other keynote speakers today was Julie West, founder of the Play for Jake Foundation. Jake West, her son, died September 26th, 2013, of right ventricular cardiomyopathy (an enlarged heart). He was at football practice at LaPorte High School when he experienced cardiac arrest and passed away later that day.
To honor Jake’s memory, his mother has devoted her life to preventing another family from experiencing the loss of a child from a sudden cardiac crisis. “This is how I think every day when I wake up. I think what would Jake want me to do,” says West. “That’s what gets me going; that’s what propels me in doing what I do... I live through him, and I want his legacy to live on.”
Their goal is to prevent sudden cardiac arrest among Indiana youth by providing screening and protection programs.
The Play for Jake Foundation has also partnered with the Zac Mago Foundation to honor Zac, who died from sudden cardiac arrest while a senior at John Glenn High School. These organizations have been instrumental in screening and preventing SCA in Northern Indiana/Michiana.
To donate to these worthwhile organizations or sign up for a 5/10k run with Bolt, head to their websites below.
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source: https://www.wndu.com/2022/03/01/bolt-heart-donates-aeds-indiana-law-enforcement/
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