Denise Henning has made it her mission to make sure that automated external defibrillators, or AEDs, are installed in public places in her city.
Denise's husband Tim collapsed after suffering a heart attack while at their son's basketball came and died. This occurred in 2012, and there was not an AED available to help.
After her husband's death, she started the Henning Family Foundation. This is an organization that raises money to have AEDs installed in public places.
The Henning Family Foundation has put 100 AEDs in public places so far. They have been placed in community centers, schools, kids sport venues and ballparks
One life has been saved as the result of The Henning Family Foundation. An umpire stopped breathing during a baseball game. His life was saved because of the AED. Denise was at the game with her son, and she witnessed the umpire go into cardiac arrest. She told her son to go to the car and get an AED out.
Denise got very emotional because it reminded her of her husband's death. She says that she cannot believe that a similar situation happened at a baseball game again. She also cannot believe that the AED she carried in the car would be the first to save someone's life.
The umpire was taken to Liberty Hospital, and he is reportedly in good condition.
Dr. Mazhar Afaq says that the critical time period starts before a person gets to the hospital. This time could mean the difference between life and death. Getting the person's pulse back as soon as possible is key to survival.
It is estimated that 200,000 to 300,000 people die each year as the result of sudden cardiac arrest. Many of these people could have survived if there was an AED around.
In fact, if an AED is used within the first five minutes of cardiac arrest, then the person's chance of survival increases to 30 percent. That is why it is important for AEDs to be accessible
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