Parent Heart Watch
Parent Heart Watch (PHW) is the only national advocacy organization focused solely on protecting youth from sudden cardiac arrest. PHW is comprised of parents and other advocates who have been personally touched by sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) or sudden cardiac death (SCD) and who now put their time and effort into preventing SCA/SCD in the young throughout their community.
This union has been the inspiration for groundbreaking research studies to fill the critical void of data on youth lost to SCA, as well as important collaborations and coalitions that advance prevention. Our program drives the national dialogue on youth SCA/SCD prevention, with PHW continually working to motivate education, sports, medical and legislative communities to address a syndrome The Wall Street Journal has called “one of medicine’s most catastrophic and little-understood events.”
PHW members currently run 111 programs in 39 states, focusing on primary prevention of SCA/SCD through early detection and/or being prepared in case of a cardiac emergency. These programs partner with medical champions to offer free or affordable youth cardiac screenings with an electrocardiogram (ECG); advocate for emergency preparedness by placing automated external defibrillators (AEDs); teach cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and AED use; and support the development of cardiac emergency response plans wherever youth congregate. Together our national, regional and community prevention efforts impact hundreds of thousands of youth, parents, educators, athletic directors, coaches and allied health professionals. PHW also advocates on local, state and federal levels for SCA prevention legislation, and for a National Registry for SCA in youth reporting.
Parent Heart Watch is a 501(c)3 non-profit incorporated in 2005.
