Ten Baltimore City middle schools received a potentially lifesaving donation of automated external defibrillators (AEDs), thanks to a joint effort by Johns Hopkins Medicine and a local nonprofit.
The donation was the brainchild of Theodore Abraham, a cardiologist and professor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, who recognized the importance of providing the devices for student athletes, coaches, or spectators who could potentially collapse during practice or a game due to a heart rhythm disorder that causes sudden cardiac arrest. Each year, more than 3,000 young people die from sudden cardiac death, often while at sporting events.
"CPR can keep the blood circulating, but the only way to restore the heart's normal pumping ability is to shock it back into rhythm," Abraham said. "That's why AEDs are so important to have on hand and use as soon as possible."
The Israel and Mollie Myers Foundation, which aims to help young people in Baltimore, provided $10,000 to fund the AED donation.
Read more from Hopkins MedicineTagged community, cardiac health
