The Michael Namey AED Initiative Seeks to Better Treat Cardiac Arrest Victims
Video from the Today Show.
Last September, Michael Namey, a bright young freshman at the University of Central Florida and a Jacksonville, Fla., native, suffered sudden cardiac arrest on campus. He was hospitalized and in a coma, but tragically died the following day.
Incidences of sudden cardiac arrest in high school and college students on campuses have led to a special focus on school-based automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and critical CPR training, which can increase the ability to save lives.
In memory of Michael, the Michael Namey AED Initiative was formed through joined efforts between Michael’s mother Connie Namey, Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation, and Dr. Sylkia Martinez, the mother of one of Michael’s closest friends. The initiative’s life-saving mission is to raise awareness for sudden cardiac arrest on school campuses and to increase access to portable on-site AEDs and launch CPR training programs across schools and organizations in Florida in hopes of preventing future tragedies. The Initiative’s long term vision is to include programming throughout the United States.
The Need:
The American Heart Association estimates nearly 10,000 cases of out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) occur each year in the United States in victims less than 18 years old — and tragically most victims die. Survival rates increase significantly when victims receive CPR and defibrillation within a few minutes of collapse, yet only 1/3 of SCA victims receive bystander CPR and only 2 percent are treated with an AED by a bystander. When bystanders intervene by providing CPR and using the nearest AED, survival rates increase from eight percent to nearly 40 percent.
How You Can Help:
Your donations will help the Michael Namey AED Initiative provide AEDs and critical training to schools and organizations in Florida. All funds raised will go to Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation’s Michael Namey AED Fund.
Please consider making a donation through the following GoFundMe page to help increase AED availability and decrease needless deaths due to cardiac arrest:
