SCA Awareness

This October, Join Us to Prevent Sudden Cardiac Arrest!

Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) claims more than 356,000 lives per year, and is the third leading cause of death in the United States. More than 23,000 of those affected by SCA each year are young people under age 18. SCA strikes people of all ages who may seem healthy – even kids and teens.

That’s why we dedicate the month of October to National Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month: so that you and your community have the tools you need to spring into action if someone you love – or even a total stranger – goes into SCA.

You can triple a victim’s chance of survival when you take these immediate lifesaving actions:

Call, Push, Shock to Save a Life

The SADS Foundation is part of CALL-PUSH-SHOCK — a national collaborative movement with a mission to motivate bystander CPR/AED action and increase sudden cardiac arrest survival.

Today, only 1 in 10 survives Sudden Cardiac Arrest. But with immediate CPR and use of an AED, 5 in 10 victims could survive. CPR and AEDs can save lives. But there is a critical need to raise awareness about SCA, educate people about the importance of taking immediate action, and empower communities to provide CPR training and widespread access to AEDs.

Help Us Make a Difference

Want to be a part of spreading life-saving information – and make a change in your community? We have lots of ways to help! From something as small as sharing a post, to participating in this month’s media campaign and reaching out to your news station, you can help us spread awareness of what to do if an SCA happens.

• Download our CPR Fact Sheet to distribute in YOUR community. By sending this to friends and family, and posting in your local area, you can help save a life. (Download the printer-friendly version here)
• Join us on social media for sharable graphics, SADS Live, and other great features this SCA Awareness Month. Or download our social media kit to share the graphics on your own page.
• Contact your media station and tell them your SCA story to spread awareness. We’ve got a Media Kit available specifically for this campaign to make it easy to spread awareness in your community. Just email Anna@SADS.org for materials.
• Share your SCA story with others. You can share your story by filling out the form, or using the hashtag #MySCAStory. Your story may be featured on social media or on our YouTube Channel

Other Ways to Keep Your Community Safe:

• Know the Warning Signs of SADS
• Promote Call-Push-Shock so that everyone knows what they can do to save a life (Call 911 – Start CPR – Use an AED)
• Take the Risk Assessment with your child and their physician
• Learn hands only CPR
• Advocate for students learning CPR with an AED before graduation
  • See if your state has passed a law.
• Make sure your school is safe too
• 911 Emergency dispatchers can help with CPR. 

Additional Resources

• stopcardiacarrest.org
  • A national collaborative of non-profit organizations
• Simon’s Heart CPR Jukebox
  • Move to the beat of your favorite 100 beat per minute song.
• Project ADAM
  • School CPR & AED Resources

National SCA Month is generously sponsored by LifeSure Home AED Solutions.