Harpers Heart Heroes launches statewide campaign to teach
elementary age kids what to do if someone is unresponsive
There is a cardiac arrest every second in the United States. Ninety percent of people who have a cardiac arrest outside of a hospital do not survive. If CPR is started right away, survival rates increase to forty percent.
Over the past few years there has been an increase in the number of high school students who are learning how to do CPR. However, there is no training program for elementary age children.
Harpers Heart Heroes is a group of elementary age kids who believe that children should be taught what to do in a medical emergency.
People often ask, who is Harper? Harper is not a specific person. Rather, Harper is a heart-shaped character that the team developed to connect with their target audience. Harper represents every person’s heart.
Harper’s Heart Heroes created an educational video that shows kids how to respond in a medical emergency. This video was sent to public elementary schools. Additionally, the team will educate the public with in-school visits, brochures, a Facebook page, and informational website.
The Harpers Heart Heroes team would like everyone to learn CPR, but know that some children will be too small. They are working with physicians at Western Michigan University School of Medicine to determine if 4th and 5th graders can do effective CPR. They will use the results of this test to determine if students should learn CPR in middle school late elementary school.
Knowing how to save a life benefits everyone. Harpers Heart Heroes believe that everyone, even young elementary age children, should be taught what to do in a medical emergency.
This website provides information an elementary aged child should know to respond to a medical emergency.