Visit From Simon’s Heart

On Wednesday, November 2, the Simon’s Heart Foundation visited Gwynedd. The Simon’s Heart Foundation facilitates heart screenings, supports heart research, and teaches communities how to help prevent sudden death from cardiac arrest. They even helped to develop the Sudden Cardiac Prevention Act, or Act 59, which protects and informs student-athletes on the warning signs of cardiac arrest. Act 59 made Pennsylvania the first state to protect students in this way when the law was passed on May 30, 2012. During the students’ community period, the foundation shared the story of Simon Sudman, a little boy that died of sudden cardiac arrest, and explained the importance of children getting heart screenings. The foundation informed students on the locations of Gwynedd’s AEDs, automated external defibrillators, and with the help of students, demonstrated how to use them. CPR, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, was also demonstrated, using the beat of the Phillies’ song, Dancing On My Own. Students were urged to visit the Simon’s Heart Foundation’s “CPR Jukebox” during their lunch periods to practice CPR to a song of their choice. Some students even joined the foundation’s high school student Ambassador Program, which will allow them to get involved in Simon’s Heart’s mission through volunteer work.