Triumph Over Tragedy
It’s a box about the size of a lunch pail, and it can save the life of a young athlete in 30 seconds. The defibrillator is armed with two paddles and simple instructions and should be at every school gym and playing field. Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is the leading cause of death in children and young adults between the ages of 12 and 30. It occurs when the heart has an electrical failure and stops beating. The defibrillator sends an electrical impulse to the heart and shocks it into beating again. Every three days a young person in the U.S. is stricken and collapses with heart failure. Most are not even aware they have a heart problem. But there are people in our community seeking to change that.
When you first meet the gregarious Melinda Truax, you would never guess that behind that smile was a tragedy that changed her life forever. Melinda’s son, Matthew, was an enthusiastic and talented football player at Meadowdale High School. He kept in shape and often took part in two practices a week. Then, one day in 2013, he collapsed on the running track. Coaches and teachers were helpless to revive him. He died of SCA at the age of just 16. Family and friends grieved; how could this have happened to such a vital young man? And through the healing process, Melinda asked questions and learned all she could about SCA. What she learned from medical experts was that a defibrillator, when used in the first minutes after a loss of consciousness, could save lives. In fact, each minute lost means that the chance of survival goes down by 10 percent. The defibrillator, in effect, “jump starts” the heart to resume its healthy rhythm.
Melinda talked to friends, neighbors, community leaders and local organizations about how best to combat this loss of our young people. At times she must have felt quite alone with her new found knowledge and yet frustrated about what to do with these facts and figures. And then she came upon the Nick of Time Foundation and its founder Darla Varrenti. In 2004 Darla lost her son, Nicholas, to SCA. Like Melinda’s son, he too was just 16. With the help of doctors, medical technicians and a concerned local community, Darla began the foundation with the idea of education and awareness about SCA. Melinda became a staunch supporter of the Nick of Time Foundation, and over sessions of “tea and tears” the women clearly identified their goals. Darla and Melinda were just like the majority of high school parents in thinking that a child taking part in athletics must certainly be in top health. So obviously, they needed to first focus on getting parents and children to understand that this age group was also a prime target for previously undisclosed disorders of the heart.
Melinda and Darla took their foundation and its well-defined goals to the Edmonds School District. The district supervisors immediately jumped on board to help, and Heart of Edmonds was created to offer help in fundraising. Melinda spoke at assemblies and set up teachers and coaches with workshops on-site. But the financial burden was still paramount.
A defibrillator is not a cheap accessory. Prices range from $1,500 to $2,500. It has to be easily available to those who need it, and people need to be able to follow simple directions. It is not just a matter of installing a public access defibrillator like those at hospitals, on planes and in some offices; there needs to be a training plan in place to use it when the incident occurs. The models now being put in schools are so easy to use that even a child can follow the verbal directions. It is virtually impossible to use it incorrectly and hurt someone.
To help raise money for the defibrillators, the Heart of Edmonds and the Community Heart Safe Project have combined to sponsor a very ingenious fundraiser on May 3 at the Mountlake Terrace High School Theater. The event, “Take the Dress to Heart Fashion Show and Dress Sale,” will display slightly used prom dresses and special occasion outfits. The show is from 2pm to 3pm, and the sale is from 3pm to 5:30pm. The tickets for show seating are $10, and your ticket price can apply to your dress purchase! What a fantastic deal; you can literally buy a cocktail dress that saves lives! If you can’t make it to the sale, you can also donate a dress of your own.
It is the hope that no one will ever need to use one of these defibrillators. As part of their mission of education, The Heart of Edmonds and the doctors and medical technicians of the Nick of Time Foundation have scheduled screenings in Bellevue in April, Everett in May and Mountlake Terrace in June so people can protect their child before a life threatening event takes place. What happens at the screening? A simple and painless electrocardiogram is administered, and the on-site doctor interprets the results. If further monitoring is needed or medication is advised, you will be told. It is such a simple step and can provide relief to all when it is completed. The staff is prepared to screen 500 at each site. You owe it to your child and your family, to get this done!
To donate or find out more, contact heartofedmondssd.org or the nickoftimefoundation.org.
