- The month of February is recognized as American Heart Month.
- According to the CDC, about 2,000 people under 25 in the United States die each year from sudden cardiac arrest and Dr. Matthew Wilcox, a cardiologist here at UM Health Sparrow, says that proper preparation is key in the event of a heart health emergency especially when it comes to student-athletes.
- In recognition of Heart Month, UM Health Sparrow donated an automated external defibrillator, also known as AED, to Lansing Sexton, Everett and Eastern High Schools.
- In the attached story, I spoke with the 3 high school athletic directors and a UM Health Sparrow doctor about the importance of an AED for student-athletes.
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
I'm your Lansing neighborhood reporter Asya Lawrence.
February is American Heart Month and it's being recognized in my neighborhood through the donation of defibrillators that could save the lives of student-athletes in an emergency.
"When kids participate in sports, we want to make sure they're safe and sound when they participate," said Mona Mendez, athletic director at Lansing Eastern High School.
Mona Mendez knows what it means to be a student-athlete.
"I was a student-athlete, actually both my parents coached here at Eastern," she said.
She's now the athletic director at Lansing Eastern High School, so she knows the importance of trying to make sure athletes are ready to play.
"We want to be sure that these kids have the best quality experience and their safety is top priority," Mendez said.
According to the CDC, about 2,000 people under 25 in the United States die each year from sudden cardiac arrest and Dr. Matthew Wilcox, a cardiologist here at UM Health Sparrow, says that proper preparation is key in the event of a heart health emergency especially when it comes to student-athletes.
"CPR, while it's important and effective I don't want to limit that, it is not going to ultimately probably bring the result that we want which is that young person surviving," Dr. Wilcox said.
This is why UM Health Sparrow kicked off Heart Month with the donation of an automated external defibrillator, also known as AED, to each of the 3 Lansing School District high schools in my neighborhood.
In an emergency, the machines can deliver an electric shock to the heart to help it return to its normal rhythm.
"It's so important that we make sure that these life-saving devices are in the hands of people that can utilize them so that hopefully we'll never have to use them but we don't have a situation where a young person is in need of them and they're not available," Dr. Wilcox said.
A precaution that could ultimately end up saving a life
"Being able to have these visible so everyone knows what they are will make it better in case something does happen" said Sharonda Hurd, Lansing Everett athletic director
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