No More Fallen Angels
SCAA's Iowa Affiliate has a higher call for AEDs
When 16-year-old Kayla Donahe collapsed in the middle of her high school soccer game in May of 2009, all of Des Moines was put on notice - sudden cardiac arrest can strike whoever, wherever, and whenever.
After having her life sustained by bystanders and eventually the West Des Moines Emergency Medical Services, Kayla and her family knew that they were lucky that EMTs were so quick to arrive, because at that time, there was no AED on-site at the girls' soccer game. One week and ICD-implant later, the Donahe family launched Kayla's Angels, a campaign to increase the AED amounts in public places.
That's when Iowa Health Cardiology and SCAA's Iowa Affiliate (AED Access for All) stepped up to the plate. Iowa Health donated four AEDs, and AED Access for All began a donation drive. Kayla's Angels and its partners are planning to deploy several AEDs this year and hope that their efforts will spawn similar campaigns in other communities.
For more information about the donation campaign and SCAA's Iowa Affiliate, please visit www.aedaccessforall.org.
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