Blog

Is Cardiac Arrest Contagious?

Sudden cardiac arrest is what happens when the heart stops beating suddenly and unexpectedly. It is the leading cause of death of adults in this country. However, it is not just an adult thing. It is linked to 10% of SIDS deaths; is the leading cause of death of student athletes; and...

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My Perspective Changed Forever

I remember like it was yesterday. Phyllis and I had to escape from life. We had just passed the first anniversary of Simon’s death. We took Sally to the beach. It was so hard to be around people with babies. It was even harder to hear about “problems.” I’m really sorry your contractor...

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Please Help Our Restaurants

This year, we raised $65,000 at Simon’s Soiree from the silent auction. A good portion of these proceeds came through the generosity of the dining industry. They donated gift cards and dining experiences. Many took part in our Heart Month campaign to sell wine totes.  They stepped in when we...

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We Need To Be Prepared

Dr. Dermot Phelan MD, Ph.D., FESC, FASE, FACC a staff cardiologist from the Cleveland Clinic interviews Samantha Krouse, Manager of GotAED about sudden cardiac arrest, the importance of early defibrillation and resources to get AED devices. Dr. Phelan: The sudden cardiac death of a young athlete or pupil has a...

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No Drugs! Death, Maybe

How many student athletes die from steroid use? That was the first thought to cross my mind after hearing that Clemson players, Dexler Lawrence, Zach Giella and Braden Galloway, were suspended from the BCS Championship Playoff. Despite having filed an appeal last week, they won’t be on the field tonight...

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Curiosity and Heart Screenings

This article appeared in Medpage Today. Are physicians in Europe more curious than physicians in the United States? I get that impression after reading headlines from the recent study about soccer players and heart screenings in England: “Screening fails to predict most heart deaths in young soccer players” (Reuters) “More young footballers dying of heart...

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An Apple a Day

An apple a day keeps the doctor away. I heard this as a kid, and now as a parent, I always look for healthy advice and habits to pass on to my kids. This week, the apple became even more important in the prevention of disease. Apple announced that its...

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Yeah, But You Don’t Save Lives

Funny story. My son died twelve years ago from an undetected heart condition. My husband and I started this foundation to provide free heart screenings for kids. We were thinking that if other parents had the chance to check their kids’ hearts, maybe their kids wouldn’t die from detectable and...

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Now Spit

Previously posted in Huffington Post on December 13, 2016 I went to the dentist for my six month check up last week. I didn’t want to be there. Are you surprised? I hate all of the poking and scraping. It was also the day before my daughter’s 14th birthday. I...

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The Heart of Mike Pence

Published previously in Huffington Post It’s official. Governor Mike Pence of Indiana is Trump’s pick for Veep (great show, by the way). Most people are “meeting” him for the first time. I “met” him in March 2014, when he became the fourth Governor to sign the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Prevention Act...

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