Athletes Saving Athletes Launches in San Diego County
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We know that at least 50 student athletes died in 2011 in the US. Most of these sports related deaths could have been prevented. Only 1/3 of the high schools in this country employ athletic trainers , leaving student athletes vulnerable in the event of a catastrophic injury.
Athletes Saving Athletes is a one of a kind, unique education program designed to empower student athletes with skills to help recognize signs and symptoms of life threatening injuries and conditions. The goal of the program is to educate athletes how to possibly save themselves or their teammate. Our program is designed to help increase the chances of survival for student athletes that suffer a catastrophic injury.
The program was created after Tommy Mallon, a local high school athlete that suffered a career-ending sports injury. While playing in his last high school lacrosse game at Santa Fe Christian High School Tommy collided with an opposing player and suffered a severe concussion, a fractured neck and a dissected vertebral artery. He is lucky to be alive. Tommy, along with Brittan Sutphin, who survived Sudden Cardiac Arrest and Will James who survived life threatening heat stroke have come together to help create Athletes Saving Athletes™ program. Their survival stories are the inspiration for the program. They are alive because someone knew what to do to save them.
The goal of ASA is to reduce the risk of injury or death for student athletes. Certified Athletic Trainers facilitate the ASA program which teaches student athletes how to recognize the signs and symptoms of concussion, head and neck injuries, heat illness, sudden cardiac arrest, diabetes and asthma. In addition the program curriculum teaches the athletes what a first response to an emergency situation might look like, including what actions they should take when confronting an injury or illness. The athletes become student athlete ambassadors and agree to share the knowledge learned with their entire team, increasing the number of first responders who may be able to save a life.
Athletes who suffer Sudden Cardiac Arrest have only 4 minutes before brain damage occurs and only 10 before death. Our athletes are trained in CPR and how to use an AED to help save an athlete suffering from SCA. Heat stroke is 100% preventable. Over 20 athletes died from heat stroke last year. Our program teaches athletes how to help cool an athlete with a suspected heat stroke. 50% of athletes who suffer Sudden Impact Syndrome die, the other 50 are severely disabled. Our program teaches athletes how to help avoid second impact syndrome by educating athletes about the signs and symptoms of concussions. ASA students learn how to help athletes suffering from a diabetic emergency and an asthma emergency.
Knowledge is power, power to save a life. What if an athlete is in a remote location or does not have a medically trained professional or coach on the sidelines? The teammate is usually the first one on the scene to help. If athletes are trained to recognize signs and symptoms of life threatening injuries they can help put an emergency action plan in place, increasing the chance of survival. In 4 months we have trained over 400 athletes in San Diego We hope to bring this program to every school in the US.
More About This Charity
Region
West
Category
Health and Well Being
Name
Advocates for Injured Athletes
Mission
Our mission is to promote sports safety and to provide essential support education and resources to help keep athletes safe.
Impact
- This charity raised $20,000 in the past year
- 400 local san diego athletes were trained since January 20, 2012 in life saving skills
Works In
United States
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