ECCU 2015: An International Conference with a Focus on Citizen CPR and the Survivor

The Emergency Cardiovascular Care Update, a conference of the Citizen CPR Foundation (CCPRF), will include three days of sessions designed to meet the needs of SCA survivors, family members, rescuers, and community advocates, with presentations from leaders in the field. 

The Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation (SCA FDN) is working with CCPRF to help promote the conference, particularly to survivors and their loved ones. In addition, SCA FDN is presenting original research on public awareness about sudden cardiac arrest and post-resuscitation quality of life among survivors and loved ones, and information about preparing schools for sudden cardiac emergencies.

Other aspects of the collaboration between the two nonprofits include the jointly sponsored ECCU Video "Minute" Contest award and the SCA FDN sponsored People Saving People Award, both of which will be presented at ECCU on December 11. The Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation is also organizing a hospitality room for survivors and families throughout the conference, plus two facilitated discussions. (See schedule below.)

A highlight of the ECCU conference will be the CPR Saves Lives March on December 10. Survivors and other conference attendees are invited to participate and bring attention to the hundreds of thousands of SCA victims who might have survived if there had been better access to CPR and AEDs. The march will begin at the Manchester Grand Hotel and end at the San Diego Civic Center where officials and the press will join marchers to hear inspirational stories from survivors who will describe their experiences and the lives they have lived since.

Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation Schedule 

Following is the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation ECCU 2015 schedule:

• Tuesday, December 8, 3:00-4:30 pm: Hospitality Room Old Town A; Informal discussion for survivors and families facilitated by Mary Newman, SCA FDN, along with representatives of Parent Heart Watch (PHW) and Sudden Cardiac Arrest Association (SCAA)
• Tuesday, December 8, 7:00-9:00 pm: Exhibit Hall opening reception
• Wednesday, December 9, 7:00 am-6:00 pm: Exhibit Hall open; Stop by the SCA FDN booth #622 for a t-shirt and a chance to win an AED
• Wednesday, December 9, 10:35-11:25 am: Seaport H; Preparing Your School for a Sudden Cardiac Emergency; Presented by Jeff Ranous, PhD, AHA; Martha Lopez-Anderson and Michele Snyder, PHW; Kathleen Murphy, DNP, RN, University of Texas School of Nursing; and Mary Newman, MS, SCA FDN
• Wednesday, December 9, 11:35 am-12:25 pm: Seaport H; A Baseline Study of Public Awareness: To Move the Save Rate from Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest, We Must Move Communities to Action. Presented by Mary Newman, SCA FDN and Jennifer Chap, StrataVerve Research
• Wednesday, December 9, 5:00-6:30 pm: Hospitality Room Old Town A; Informal discussion for survivors and families facilitated by Mary Newman, SCA FDN, along with representatives of PHW and SCAA
• Thursday, December 10, 7:00 am-4:00 pm: Exhibit Hall open; Stop by the SCA FDN booth #622 for a t-shirt and a chance to win an AED.
• Thursday, December 10, 7:00-8:00 am: Exhibit Hall; Breakfast with Experts
• Thursday, December 10, 11:35 am-1:25 pm: CPR Saves Lives March from conference hotel to San Diego Civic Center
• Thursday, December 10, 5:30-7:30 pm: Gaslamp Second Level, Seaport Tower; Youth Task Force Meeting, 
• Friday, December 11, 11:20 am-12:00 pm: Seaport A-E; ECCU Video "Minute" Contest Winner; Presented by Mary Newman, SCA FDN, Ed Stapleton, CCPRF, and representative of Physio-Control
• Friday, December 11, 11:20 am-12:00 pm: Seaport A-E; People Saving People Award winner; Presented by Mary Newman, SCA FDN, and representative of ZOLL Medical Corporation

ECCU Registration