The Peyton Walker Foundation

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Our Mission:
Increasing awareness and survival rates for Sudden Cardiac Arrest.

The Peyton Walker Foundation was established in memory of 19 year old Peyton, whose young and vibrant life was stolen by Sudden Cardiac Arrest on November 2, 2013. Motivation to establish the foundation came from the words that were emblazoned on the shirt Peyton was wearing on November 2nd: "What we do for ourselves dies with us....What we do for others and the world remains and is immortal." (Albert Pines) Her shirt called her family to action...establishing the Foundation to save young lives so that other families would never know the heartache of losing a child without warning to Sudden Cardiac Arrest. About Peyton.

What is Sudden Cardiac Arrest?
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). It typically strikes without warning.

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 hour, every day, a student dies from SCA.
Some warning symptoms that can lead to SCA include:
- dizziness
- fainting
- shortness of breath
- chest pain
The first symptom of a hidden heart issue 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.