Sacred Heart - Inspiring Health

4 R E P O R T TO O U R CO M M U N I T Y 2 0 1 3 Volunteering: Good for the Heart CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE CLAIMS A LIFE EVERY 33 SECONDS. AT SACRED HEART HOSPITAL, AWARENESS OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE IS A TOP PRIORITY—FOR US AND FOR OUR MANY VOLUNTEERS. TO SPREAD THE word, Sacred Heart regularly partners with the American Heart Association, a national leader that works tirelessly to reduce the impact of heart disease on people's lives. Annual awareness events that are bolstered by volunteer participation include the Heart Walk and Go Red Day. "The American Heart Association's goals and mission align very closely with our work at the Heart & Vascular Center," says Nancy DeMars, RN, Director of Cardiopulmonary Services at Sacred Heart. "Supporting them is a great way to raise awareness about heart disease, a major health issue not only in Eau Claire but across the nation." COLLEAGUES IN CARE At the September 28 Heart Walk, Sacred Heart's team had 250 walkers—made up of colleagues and volunteers— and raised a robust $22,550. "The outpouring of volunteer support for the cause of the American Heart Association was amazing," DeMars says. "We held fundraisers and a pancake breakfast where volunteers were extremely giving of their time in everything from organizing to manning a face-painting booth. The passion this community has for cardiac care stretches far beyond our hospital walls, and it's an honor for us to try to match that passion." Other ways Sacred Heart takes a stand against heart disease include hosting biannual cardiac stroke screening clinics on site —approximately 100 participants from the community are screened free of charge at each event— and our online heart disease risk assessment, HealthAware, available at sacredhearteauclaire.org under "7 Minutes to a Healthy You." Community CPR Day The second the heart stops beating, serious, sometimes irreparable damage begins to occur. But by immediately beginning cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and calling for emergency help, all may not be lost. "CPR saves lives, yet most people don't feel comfortable performing it in an emergency," says Marcia Arneson, BS, CWPC/CWPM, Director of the Center for Healthy Living at Sacred Heart Hospital. "That's why we hosted a Community CPR Day in February, to teach anyone who was interested how to perform simple, hands-only CPR. This was not a certification course, but a 30-minute session that included a take-home kit." The day was a huge success. A total of 337 people attended the free educational sessions and walked away with resources to use for practice, such as an instructional DVD and a partial mannequin. An additional 85 kits were donated to interested organizations and people who called after the event. "Sacred Heart had such a great response to the hands-only CPR classes, we plan on offering more free training in the coming year," says Peggy Pendergast, American Heart Association Training Center Coordinator. "The more community members who can perform proper CPR, the better all our chances are of survival." BENEFITS BY THE NUMBERS 250 participants in the Heart Walk on September 28 $22,550 raised at the Heart Walk, surpassing the hospital goal of $15,000 337 attendees at Community CPR Day in February

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