5K for Aidan J
Event Details
Save the Date! June 15, 2013
Registration will open soon. Send an email to aidansheart@gmail.com and we'll notify you when registrations go on sale!
Click on the image below to view a larger version.
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Welcome to the 5K for Aidan J. website! Our 3rd Annual event aims to continue spreading the word about Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) among our youth and supporting those organizations that work to keep our kids heart-safe. Proceeds from this year’s event will help us:
1. Purchase Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) for our area youth athletic leagues.
2. Provide more free heart screenings for the children and teenagers of our community.
3. Continue to support other families who have lost a child through SCA and promote SCA awareness at the national level.
You can get all the details on how we will use funds raised from this year's event by scrolling to the bottom of this page.
Aidan loved to run and he loved to be around his family and friends. Help us honor our Aidan J. this year and at the same time help other families in the area keep their kids heart-safe.
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Can't Attend the Event? Show your support by making a donation or creating your own personal fundraising page. Your generosity is greatly appreciated and will help to provide education and screenings to prevent Sudden Cardiac Arrest in children!
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Who Can Participate:
Everyone! We have the 5K Run for runners; the 1 Mile Family Walk for those who want to walk, push a stroller, or pull a wagon; and even Kids Races for children. Results will be posted.
* The "Elite" 5K Run and the "Regular" 5K Run are limited to 150 Registrations each (300 total), so get yours soon!
* Two Waves of Runners! The Elite wave, which will start at 9am, is for runners with a 5K time of under 23 minutes. The Regular Runners wave, starting at 9:30, is for the rest of us! Both will be chip-timed.
* One Mile Family Walk in the Park: The family walk has been relocated to Kerr Park and shortened to one mile. Strollers are permitted! Sorry, no pets allowed.
* Electronic Chip Timing for All Runners! Bibs for all runners will contain electronic chips to accurately and instantly measure race time with results immediately posted at www.RuntheDay.com!
The Course: .JPG)
The shady Struble Trail in Downingtown, PA - one of Aidan's favorite places to ride his bike. Check-in at Kerr Park (corner of Wallace & Pennsylvania Avenues in Downington PA).
Want to know more about Aidan, his family, and his story? Visit www.AidanJosephSilva.blogspot.
Accommodations
Are you coming from out of town and need a place to stay? Click here for a list of hotels in the Downingtown area.
IN THE NEWS
Read about us in the Deleware County Times!
How Will Funds Be Used?
1. Purchase Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) for our area youth athletic leagues: Research has shown that when CPR alone is performed during a sudden cardiac event, the survival rate averages 4%; when an AED is used along with CPR, the survival rate is as high as 74%. However, AED therapy must be applied within the first 5 minutes of the cardiac arrest; for every minute that passes without the use of an AED, chances of survival are reduced 10%. Because we are not yet classified as a 501(c)(3) organization, Parent Heart Watch, the major beneficiary of this event, will purchase these AEDs for us to distribute throughout the community youth athletic leagues that are interested in proactively protecting their players from Sudden Cardiac Arrest.
2. Provide more free heart screenings for the children and teenagers of our community: By partnering with the Simon’s Fund organization, another beneficiary of our event, we were able to bring in cardiologists from A.I. DuPont Hospital for two heart screening events this past year! We screened over 500 children and teens! Approximately 1% of those screened were referred for follow up for potentially life-threatening heart conditions. Simon’s Fund is also actively working to change laws in Pennsylvania. HB1610, which was approved unanimously in the PA House in October, is now on the Senate floor. This bill, sponsored by Rep. Mike Vereb (Norristown), states that any athlete who shows signs of impending Sudden Cardiac Arrest (ie., fainting) must be removed from play until examined by a doctor. It also seeks to educate coaches and players about the symptoms of SCA. Please call your state senator with your support! For more information, visit www.SimonsFund.org.
3. Continue to support other families who have lost a child through SCA and promote SCA awareness at the national level: Parent Heart Watch not only seeks to educate the public and change policies regarding the heart health of children across the country, but also brings together those of us who have experienced the sudden loss of a child due to Sudden Cardiac Arrest. Steve and Christy attended the Annual PHW Conference this past January and met dozens of parents and siblings with stories similar to Aidan’s. Building relationships and joining efforts with these families has been instrumental to the continued advocacy work of the Silva family. For more information regarding the PHW organization, visit www.ParentHeartWatch.org
4. Continue to help families afford high-quality preschool education: Aidan’s three years at the Brandywine School of Early Learning (Thorndale, PA) were incredibly influential in creating his happy, intelligent spirit. The Aidan J. Silva Scholarship was started by the school in 2010 and continues to provide tuition scholarships to families in need.
Proceeds to benefit Parent Heart Watch (www.parentheartwatch.org) and Simon's Fund (simonsfund.org)
