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DALLAS, OCTOBER 6, 2023 – On average worldwide, fewer than one in every ten cardiac arrest victims outside of the hospital survive.[1] Too many people do not survive from cardiac arrest because those around them are not educated on the lifesaving skills of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Knowing CPR can be a lifesaving tactic. On October 7, 2023, the Chasing M’s Foundation – professional football player Damar Hamlin’s charity – the American Heart Association, the British Heart Foundation and the National Football League (NFL) are teaming up to bring Hands-Only CPR education to fans in London and the United Kingdom.
This joint educational effort is being showcased ahead of the Buffalo Bills vs the Jacksonville Jaguars game taking place Sunday at 8:30 a.m. CT in London at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
“With incredible support from his parents, Mario and Nina, Damar Hamlin has turned his own unexpected life event into a mission to help save lives. His Chasing M’s Foundation, along with the American Heart Association and the British Heart Foundation, will share the critical importance of CPR education with fans in London during this week’s Buffalo Bills-Jacksonville Jaguars game,” said, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. “This will no doubt help to save future lives and continue the important work of Damar and his family.”
CPR education training was delivered to fans during the NFL Experience London at Battersea Power Station on Saturday, October 7, in collaboration with Chasing M’s Foundation, the American Heart Association and the British Heart Foundation. The Chasing M’s Foundation also distributed and provided training for no-cost automated external defibrillators (AEDs) to youth organizations in the UK in partnership with Zoll Medical Corporation.
“Today, we made a first stop in taking my CPR tour international, and it’s an honor for me to join with the NFL, American Heart Association and British Heart Foundation to help save lives,” said Hamlin, who kicked off his Chasing M’s CPR Tour this summer and plans to expand it globally in 2024. “After experiencing cardiac arrest in January, my family and I were humbled by the generosity and prayers from people here in the U.K. and around the world who wished me well. We are thrilled by the opportunity to give back and lift up others. Given my journey, my message today is simple: no one expects cardiac arrest to happen. By learning CPR, you can be ready to help save a life, should someone need you.”
“Earlier this year, the world witnessed Damar Hamlin’s traumatic cardiac arrest on live television during Monday Night Football, but what they also saw were those very first links in the chain of survival working – early recognition, calling first responders, beginning high quality CPR, and having access to and using an AED,” said Nancy Brown, American Heart Association Chief Executive Officer. “No matter where you live, the chain of survival is critical. Thanks to the international reach of the NFL, the inspiration of Damar, the science of the American Heart Association and our allyship with our colleagues at the British Heart Foundation, we have an unprecedented opportunity to save lives. This is our moment.”
The American Heart Association recently launched its own Nation of Lifesavers™ initiative featuring Damar Hamlin as its National Ambassador. The new multi-year initiative has been created to help ensure teens and adults can learn CPR, as well as the use of AEDs, share that knowledge with friends and family and engage employers, policymakers, philanthropists and others to create community resources and support. The long-term goal: to ensure that in the face of a cardiac emergency, everyone, everywhere is prepared and empowered to perform CPR and become a vital link in the chain of survival. In a newly released public service announcement, Damar Hamlin speaks to the simple mission of the Nation of Lifesavers – to educate and prepare teens and adults to be confident to save a life in a cardiac emergency.
In 2022, the British Heart Foundation launched RevivR, an innovative 15-minute free digital training tool that teaches you how to recognize a cardiac arrest, gives feedback on chest compressions and outlines the correct steps of using a defibrillator, giving anyone the confidence to save a life in the ultimate medical emergency. 250,000 people have used RevivR to learn CPR since its launch.
Dr. Charmaine Griffiths, Chief Executive of the British Heart Foundation, said, “It is always a pleasure to team up with the American Heart Association to raise awareness of the lifesaving power of CPR at such a brilliant sporting event. CPR is a universal language and can be the difference between life and death in the ultimate medical emergency. Damar Hamlin’s recovery and return to the NFL has been inspirational to people around the world, and is a powerful reminder to each of us to learn CPR.”
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About the National Football League
The National Football League is America’s most popular sports league, comprised of 32 franchises that compete each year to win the Super Bowl, the world’s biggest annual sporting event. Founded in 1920, the NFL developed the model for the successful modern sports league, including national and international distribution, extensive revenue sharing, competitive excellence, and strong franchises across the country.
About Chasing M’s Foundation
Damar Hamlin’s charity is dedicated to the development, health & safety of youth through sports, engagement activities, training & programming. Since experiencing cardiac arrest on January 2, 2023, Hamlin has been dedicated to increasing awareness of the need for CPR training and AED access, advocating for legislation, and launching his Chasing M’s CPR Tour to give back to others. Given an unexpected life mission, Hamlin is passionate about creating programs and initiatives to encourage young people to live their dreams and inspire others who face adversity. To learn more, go to www.chasingmsfoundation.com.
USA emergency service number: 911
About the American Heart Association
The American Heart Association is a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. We are dedicated to ensuring equitable health in all communities. Through collaboration with numerous organizations, and powered by millions of volunteers, we fund innovative research, advocate for the public’s health and share lifesaving resources. The Dallas-based organization has been a leading source of health information for nearly a century. Connect with us on heart.org, Facebook, X or by calling 1-800-AHA-USA1.
USA emergency service number: 911
About the British Heart Foundation
It is only with donations from the public that the BHF can keep its life saving research going. Help us turn science fiction into reality. With donations from the public, the BHF funds ground-breaking research that will get us closer than ever to a world free from the fear of heart and circulatory diseases. A world where broken hearts are mended, where millions more people survive a heart attack, where the number of people dying from or disabled by a stroke is slashed in half. A world where people affected by heart and circulatory diseases get the support they need. And a world of cures and treatments we can’t even imagine today. Find out more at www.bhf.org.uk.
UK emergency service number: 999
Media Inquiries:
American Heart Association: Tracie Bertaut, tracie.bertaut@heart.org, 504.722.1695
For Public Inquiries: 1-800-AHA-USA1 (242-8721) heart.org or stroke.org
Chasing M’s Foundation: Kelley Denny, Communications Director, kelleydenny1@gmail.com, 412-352-9240
British Heart Foundation: please contact the BHF press office on 020 7554 0164 or email newsdesk@bhf.org.uk.
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