Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation

The Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation is a national community benefit 501(c)3 organization based in Pittsburgh, PA. Our mission is to serve as an information clearinghouse dedicated to raising awareness about sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) and stimulating attitudinal and behavioral changes that will help save more lives. Put simply, our mission is "to raise awareness and support programs that give 'ordinary' people the power to save a life."

Ten years ago, several colleagues who were passionate about saving lives established the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation, a national 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. We were driven by a conviction that tens of thousands of lives could be saved each year if more people understood the public health crisis of sudden cardiac arrest and the critical importance of immediate bystander intervention with CPR and automated external defibrillators (AEDs).

We set out to create a comprehensive information clearinghouse on sudden cardiac arrest and a virtual meeting place for the exchange of information, ideas, and experiences related to the prevention and treatment of sudden cardiac arrest.

We have accomplished all this--and more. Today, our website, www.sca-aware.org, is the world's most robust site solely focused on sudden cardiac arrest. It attracts tens of thousands of unique users each month from more than 200 countries. Our SCA Network, the nation's first online community for survivors of sudden cardiac arrest and their loved ones and those who have lost loved ones to SCA, has thousands of members and continues to grow steadily.

In addition, thanks to support from people like you, we have been able to:

-Create educational campaigns for secondary schools and colleges, including distribution of tens of thousands of educational booklets to school stakeholders and state legislatures
-Distribute AEDs to schools, youth sports teams, places of worship, and other organizations
-Conduct and publish research on public awareness about sudden cardiac arrest and research among survivors and their families about post-resuscitation quality of life
-Conduct outreach through traditional and social media, garnering millions of media placements and working with TV programs, such as PBS, to help raise awareness
-Testify before the FDA and the Institute of Medicine on behalf of patients and families affected by sudden cardiac arrest
-Co-sponsor a national meeting on improving survival from cardiac arrest at the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine
-Conduct awards programs that recognize individuals who save lives and recognize creative educational messaging through videos
-Conduct healing workshops for survivors of cardiac arrest and their families
-Create inspirational videos to raise awareness about our cause.

What's more, in the time since we launched the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation:

-38% of Americans now report they have received CPR training
-2.4 million AEDs have been distributed for use by laypersons in the U.S.
-34 states and the District of Columbia have made CPR training a requirement for high school graduation
-AEDs are now required in new buildings and school sites in certain states
-The average survival rate from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (all heart rhythms) has increased from 7% to 12%. And when bystanders give CPR and use AEDs before EMS arrives, survival rates are 40% and higher.

The feedback we receive from our constituents has been inspiring and rewarding. CPR instructors tell us that they regularly distribute our newsletters to their classes and refer students and policymakers to our website. Patients and families say we have helped them deal with the trauma of sudden cardiac arrest, that they have been able to find peer support through our online community, and that we have made them feel important and involved. Members of the media say that they appreciate having a go-to authoritative source for information on sudden cardiac arrest. Constituents from all walks of life say that our collection of survivor stories has motivated them to do more to help save lives in their communities.

We are seeking funding to support our programs, grow our organization, and help save more lives. Thank you for your consideration.

Testimonials

"I am a fan of your organization and specifically your website. It gave me tremendous peace in some very difficult times."

"The people at the SCA Foundation are amazing. And that's an understatement. Thank you for helping me find other SCA survivors in central MN. I tell everyone about how helpful you were to a complete stranger. God bless the people at your foundation for the help, education, support, and the new friends you've given me."

"This is an awesome site. I am a survivor 4 months ago thanks to my son and a family friend."

"Thanks for being such a great communicator and letting all of us survivors feel important and involved...