The Peyton Walker Foundation

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The Peyton Walker Foundation Receives National Award For Lifesaving Efforts

Parent Heart Watch, the national organization for protecting youth from sudden cardiac arrest, awarded foundation director Julie Walker the 2018 Hero For Young Hearts Advocacy Champion Award. Julie and the Foundation were recognized for their "unwavering dedication to protecting young lives from Sudden Cardiac Arrest."
Says Julie Walker, "We're incredibly honored to be recognized for the lifesaving work we're able to do - thanks to our medical partners, community & business sponsors, our PIAA District 3 partnership, donors, family, friends and all of our volunteers! Everyone who has supported our mission is a 'hero for young hearts.' This has been a community project from day one."

Our Mission:
Increasing awareness and survival rates for Sudden Cardiac Arrest through education, screenings and training.

What is SCA and How Prevalent Is It?

Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) is not a heart attack – it’s the sudden onset of an abnormal and potentially fatal heart rhythm that causes the heart to beat ineffectively or not at all. (National Institute of Health)

Facts about Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA):

SCA is one of the leading causes of death in the US (over 600,000 annually).
SCA is the #1 killer of student athletes in the US.
SCA is the #2 medical cause of death in youth under 25.
SCA is the leading cause of death on school campuses.
Every three days, a student dies from SCA.
Some warning symptoms of SCA include:
- dizziness
- fainting
- shortness of breath
- chest pain
The first symptom of SCA is often sudden death.
The use of AEDs and CPR increase the chances of surviving an SCA event.

"The underlying cause of SCA can be a heart condition you’re born with (often inherited) and/or can develop as young hearts grow. SCA can also be triggered from a viral illness, or a blow to the chest from an object or a person. Up to 95% of SCA victims die because there was a delay in emergency response." (Parent Heart Watch)

Screenings:
The Foundation provides free heart screenings for students and athletes throughout our area. Finding undiagnosed heart conditions is the key to saving lives. Sadly, children do not receive a routine heart screening (EKG) as part of their normal physicals or sports physicals. Read More.

Training:
The Foundation hosts several FREE CPR & AED Certification training classes each year for community members. Additionally, each student who attends our heart screenings learns how to perform CPR and how to use an AED. Their family members observe the training and learn these important, potentially life-saving skills as well. Read More.

The Beat Goes On