FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Little League Parents Train to Save Lives
ARCADIA (Feb. 15, 2011) -- A new cooperative effort between several area Little League boards and Methodist Hospital could be already saving lives. A series of CPR classes are being taught to Little League parents and coaches at Methodist Hospital. For some attending a recent class, the training had special meaning.
Last spring, CPR performed by three bystanders saved Little League parent Jill Hisey, who suddenly collapsed during a game at Hugo Reid Park. Two Little League moms and a scorekeeper – Sue Selinske, Mary Lesh and Matthew Breda – immediately stepped forward to do CPR until paramedics arrived less than five minutes later.
“I was so fortunate,” Hisey said. “I am alive today because they knew CPR.”
Driven by this experience, Hisey now advocates for everyone to learn this life-saving technique. She enlisted the help of Methodist Hospital and the boards of the Arcadia American Little League, Arcadia National Little League, Santa Anita Little League and Sierra Madre Little League to make CPR training available to other parents.
“You never think you’ll actually need it,” said Hisey’s husband, Steve. “Jill collapsed for no apparent reason while adjusting our son’s catcher’s gear. She was healthy with no signs of heart trouble – but that day, her heart just stopped.”
At his urging, the Stan Gray Foundation helped kick off this program with a donation to get as many managers, coaches and league officials to take the CPR training class. Their grant will pay the training cost for up to 75 people for each league.
“Jill’s experience really made us all think about what could happen to any of us and inspired us to do something about it,” said Mike Stiles, president of the Arcadia American Little League. “We are grateful to Methodist Hospital and the Stan Gray Foundation for giving us this great opportunity to train our parents and league officials.”
Class participants learn how to use an automatic external defibrillator and receive ample practice in chest compressions and breathing.
“These parents will be a valuable asset to their family and our community,” said Methodist Hospital Foundation President Michael Driebe. “Paramedics and other emergency medical service teams treat nearly 300,000 victims of sudden cardiac arrest each year in the United States. Only 8 percent survive.”
That’s not so surprising when less than one-third of these victims received CPR from a bystander. If provided immediately, CPR could double or triple a victim’s chance of survival.
“We are very grateful to the Little League boards in this area and to Jill for helping us organize this partnership,” Driebe said. “These CPR classes are part of the hospital’s commitment to caring for the health of our community and educating our neighbors on a healthy lifestyle.”
The next class will be 1-3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 27, at Methodist Hospital. Interested parents can sign up or find out about future classes by calling Methodist Hospital Foundation at 626-898-8888.