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On Saturday, June 27, 16-year-old David Gurganious watched an Oakland A’s game that he may not have been able to if CPR had not been administered to him right away.
David was the featured guest at CPR Day at the Oakland A’s game this past Saturday. David collapsed on a basketball court in February but survived with the help of immediate CPR and a defibrillator.
Lifesaving CPR was the theme of the June 27 game, presented by Alta Bates Summit Medical Center and the American Heart Association. Before the game, the Oakland A’s showcased a captivating CPR demo on the field showing just how easy hands-only CPR really is. Messages on the Jumbotron reminded fans about the importance of CPR.
More than two dozen fans purchased discounted ticket packages that included the American Heart Association’s Family & Friends CPR Anytime kit. The kit includes a mini manikin, a 22-minute how-to DVD, a resource booklet and other life-saving accessories. About 80 percent of cardiac arrests occur at home and is witnessed by a family member. Sudden cardiac arrest strikes almost 300,000 people a year in the U.S. outside of a hospital setting, and only about 7 percent of them will survive. But fast, efficient CPR can double, even triple the chances of a victim’s survival.
The Oakland A’s beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-2 that day, but the real winners were the fans who received a life-saving lesson that could one day make the difference between a loved one’s life and death.
For more information about the CPR Anytime kit, visit www.cpranytime.org.