Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Cyber Monday...what's next? #GivingTuesday--a day to give to charities like the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation, a national nonprofit organization working to save lives threatened by sudden cardiac arrest, a leading cause of death in the U.S.
PITTSBURGH, PA--The Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation has joined #GivingTuesday, a first of its kind effort that will harness the collective power of a unique blend of partners—charities, families, businesses and individuals—to transform how people think about, talk about and participate in the giving season. Coinciding with the Thanksgiving Holiday and the kickoff of the holiday shopping season, #GivingTuesday will inspire people to take collaborative action to improve their communities, give back in better, smarter ways to the charities and causes they support, and help create a better world.
Taking place December 2 – the Tuesday after Thanksgiving – #GivingTuesday will harness the power of social media to create a national moment around the holidays dedicated to giving, similar to how Black Friday and Cyber Monday have become days that are, today, synonymous with holiday shopping.
Through this initiative, the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation, a #GivingTuesday partner, aims to elevate the national dialogue about sudden cardiac arrest, a life-threatening condition that strikes about 1,000 unsuspecting individuals each day in the U.S., including young athletes. On average, only 10 percent of victims survive. The loss of life is equivalent to the number of people who would die if three 747s crashed every single day, killing everyone on board.
Sudden cardiac arrest occurs when the heart suddenly stops beating effectively, often without warning. For many victims, loss of a heartbeat, accompanied by sudden collapse and unconsciousness, is the first indication of a heart condition.
Recent cardiac arrest victims include director Mike Nichols, comedienne Joan Rivers, and actor James Gandolfini. Defying the odds were British soccer player Fabrice Muamba and Pittsburgh TV news anchor Susan Koeppen, who survived SCA thanks to immediate CPR and treatment with a defibrillator.
“While the chances of survival from sudden cardiac arrest are generally low, in some communities survival rates approach 40 percent and higher— thanks in large part to immediate bystander action,” said Mary Newman, MS, Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation president. “More sudden cardiac arrest victims could survive if the public understood the importance of recognizing sudden cardiac arrest, calling 9-1-1, starting CPR, and using the nearest automated external defibrillator (AED) to restart the heart. Our educational outreach programs are designed to help create a future in which survival from sudden cardiac arrest becomes the norm, rather than the exception.”
To support the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation on #GivingTuesday, click here or send a check to the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation, 7500 Brooktree Road, Suite 207, Wexford, PA 15090.
About the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation
The Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity whose mission is to raise awareness about sudden cardiac arrest and help save lives. Its programs include educational campaigns for schools and colleges and an online community for survivors, families affected by sudden cardiac arrest, and healthcare professionals designed to provide peer support and a platform for collaboration and advocacy at the local level.
About #GivingTuesday
#GivingTuesday is a movement to celebrate and provide incentives to give that culminates with a global day of giving on December 2, 2014. #GivingTuesday will harness the power of social media to create a global moment that is dedicated to giving around the world.