Marian Medical Center Makes Conquering Sudden Cardiac Arrest
In an effort to increase the community's odds
in surviving sudden cardiac arrest, (SCA), Marian Medical Center
(Marian) will distribute 21 life saving ZOLL Automated External
Defibrillators (AED's) to 20 of our community partners. Due to a
generous donation of $50,000 from The Marian Foundation,
Marian was able to purchase state-of-the-art AED's. This is a first
of its kind donation by a non-profit business on the Central
Coast.
"As a Foundation Board, we saw this as an
opportunity to further ensure the cardiac health of the community,
"says John Will, immediate past president, Marian Foundation Board.
"Using an AED in the field can make a difference in saving
someone's life and that was all we needed to know to make this
important investment in our community."
There are more than 460,000 deaths each year from out-of-hospital
cardiac arrest in the U.S. Estimates say that more than half
of these deaths occurs suddenly. Currently, only about 5
percent of victims survive; 95 percent will die from SCA, which
strikes without warning and can kill its victims within
minutes. The American Heart Association estimates that
focusing on a strong Chain of Survival (early access to care, early
CPR, early defibrillation, and early advanced medical care) can
increase survival rates to 20 percent or more, and could save at
least 40,000 lives each year.
"One of our missions is to protect the lives
of the citizens of Orcutt, and this donation from Marian is an
important step in fulfilling that mission," says Ron Bennett, fire
chief, Orcutt Fire Department. "Now, the hearts of our community
can rest a little easier knowing that their odds of surviving
sudden cardiac arrest are getting better."
The AED can help treat nearly every
victim of sudden cardiac arrest. According to the American Heart
Association, survival is directly linked between the onset of
sudden cardiac arrest and defibrillation. AED's enable first
responders to provide lifesaving therapy in the critical minutes
before the ambulance arrives. Marian is committed to assisting our
community partners in protecting the cardiac health of our
neighbors on the Central Coast.
