EDISON, NJ -- Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) today announced the introduction of a bill to combat sudden cardiac arrest in young people, especially student athletes. The Cardiomyopathy Health, Education, Awareness, Research and Training in Schools (HEARTS) Act requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to coordinate with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), patient advocacy groups, and health professional organizations to develop educational materials and resources on cardiomyopathy for public awareness and to distribute materials to schools, teachers, and parents. It also calls for guidelines regarding the placement of life-saving automated external defibrillators in schools, as well as information on cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training.
According to CDC, an estimated 2,000 young people under the age of 25 die each year of sudden cardiac arrest. In 2009, Kittim Sherrod, an Edison High School student and football star, died tragically from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy after going into sudden cardiac arrest during track and field practice.
“All too often, otherwise healthy young people die tragically from sudden cardiac arrest – a silent killer that strikes too many students each year,” said Pallone. “It’s critical that weraise awareness about the causes of sudden cardiac arrest and ensure schools are more prepared to deal with cardiac emergencies so we can prevent these tragic deaths. I’m proud to introduce the HEARTS Act to take these much-needed measures to combat this devastating condition in young people.”
“The Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation strongly supports the Cardiomyopathy Health Education, Awareness, Risk Assessment, and Training in the Schools (HEARTS) Act of 2023. We believe the HEARTS Act will be a crucial step toward addressing a major health crisis. The incidence of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) among young people, especially student-athletes, underscores the urgency of taking proactive measures to increase risk assessment, awareness, and education—as well as ensuring schools and sports fields have cardiac emergency response plans that include ready access to automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and CPR-AED trained responders,” said Mary M. Newman, President, Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation. “By supporting the Cardiomyopathy HEARTS Act, Congress can take a significant step toward mitigating the impact of OHCA in youth. The Act will not only save lives but also help create more informed and prepared communities.”
“The John Taylor Babbitt Foundation is a strong supporter of the Cardiomyopathy Health Education, Awareness, Risk Assessment and Training in the Schools (HEARTS) Act of 2023. Sudden cardiac arrest claims the lives of over 2,000 children and adolescents in the U.S. per year,” said JoAnne Babbitt, Board Member, Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation and co-founder of the John Taylor Babbitt Foundation. “The HEARTS Act will help educate health care professionals, schools and parents about genetic heart conditions which increase a child's risk of sudden cardiac arrest. The preventative and educational measures outlined in this bill have the potential to save many lives from sudden cardiac arrest.”
“Cardiomyopathy is often a silent disease and may be difficult to detect without symptoms," said Gina Peattie, Executive Director of the Children’s Cardiomyopathy Foundation, a national organization focused on pediatric cardiomyopathy. “By providing educational materials on cardiomyopathy to families and schools, this legislation has the potential to save the lives of many children at risk of sudden cardiac death.”
“The NFL Players Association (NFLPA) commends Representative Pallone for his continued work on this issue. The HEARTS Act is meaningful legislation that will equip educators, parents, and students with the resources necessary to save lives and allow for safer participation in sports, we are happy to support this legislation,” the organization said.
SOURCE: Office of Congressman Frank Pallone