Foundation Attends 2025 Resuscitation Science Symposium in New Orleans; Presents Two Posters on SCAF Initiatives

Gina Peattie, MPA, executive director of the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation, and Mary Newman, MS, SCAF founder/consultant and program manager of the Cardiac Arrest Survivor Alliance (CASA) program, attending the Resuscitation Science Symposium (ReSS), November 8-9 in New Orleans. 

SCAF hosted an exhibit table, attended educational sessions, and presented two posters.

Two-Year Growth and Evaluation of an Online Support Community for All Those Affected by Cardiac Arrest

The Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation (SCAF) created the Cardiac Arrest Survivor Alliance™ (CASA) to address the long-term physical, emotional, and social challenges faced by cardiac arrest survivors, co-survivors, and lay responders. Two years after its launch, CASA—built on Mighty Networks and supported by extensive outreach through SCAF’s platforms, media coverage, and partnerships—had grown to 1,853 members across the U.S. and 20+ countries. Over the previous year, 431 new members joined, generating more than 8,200 contributions and 1,000 private messages, with an engagement rate of 24%, surpassing the benchmark for active communities. Regular webinars and meetups fostered ongoing peer connection and education. Findings underscore the continuing need for survivorship resources and the importance of continued outreach to expand access to support.

Read the abstract here. 

View/download the poster below: 

Empowering Hearts to Save Lives: Impact of an Interactive Public Education Campaign During American Heart Month

The Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation (SCAF) conducted a one-month public awareness campaign, Empowering Hearts to Save Lives, during February 2025 to boost understanding of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), promote CPR and AED training, and inspire community engagement. Through daily social media posts, a kickoff webinar, and partnerships such as with the National Athletic Trainers’ Association, the campaign shared facts, survivor stories, and actionable resources. Compared to the previous year, Facebook engagement increased by 29%, comments by 49%, and website visits surpassed 22,000, with notable growth across all platforms. The initiative demonstrated that concise, interactive campaigns supported by collaboration, specific calls-to-action and accessible tools can significantly enhance public awareness, education and engagement.

Read the abstract here. 

View/download the poster below: