Gold Star Mothers donate an AED in memory of SN Andrew J. Adams
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When Laurie met Gold Star Mom, Kim Hayes, at a TAPS retreat in Atlanta, we shared our sons' stories. As Kim learned that David died of Sudden Cardiac Arrest, she explained that there was another Gold Star Mom in their Southwest Florida chapter whose son, Andrew, had died the same way.
Fast forward a few years, and Laurie finally met Maricel when traveling to Florida for the Parent Heart Watch Conference in 2020. There, the seed was planted to donate an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) in Andrew's name. It took another year for all the pieces to fall into place. The Gold Star Mothers of Southwest Florida received a significant donation that enabled them to purchase a Cardiac Science G5 Powerheart AED to donate to Venice High School, where Andrew had participated in the JROTC program. ABC-7 Television out of Fort Myers, Florida, covered this story. Here is the link. We hope to be able to post a video of the ceremony, which will take place on February 26, 2021. |
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A new article in Military.com helps spread awareness!
Navy Doctors are Bringing Back This Medical Screening to Prevent Sailors' Sudden Deaths, by Patricia Kime, published 9/20/20. Great exposure about the need for ECG screening and the improvements in ECG technology in the last 18 years, with some personal stories. Let's keep military hearts beating!
THE FIRST MILITARY CARDIAC SCREENING WITH ELECTROCARDIOGRAMS HAS TAKEN PLACE AT THE NAVAL ACADEMY!
A midshipman 4th class, or plebe, from the United States Naval Academy Class of 2024 receives an electrocardiogram. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Dana D. Legg/Released)
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Here's the article from DVIDS:
Naval Health Clinic Annapolis and Uniformed Services University: Partners to Reduce Sudden Cardiac Death. The US Naval Academy recently finished evaluating 1,178 plebes, the entire freshman class, with specialized ECGs used for young athletes. They found 26 (about 2%) who needed further evaulation, and of those, 19 were cleared. Ultimately seven midshipmen were found to have heart conditions that required treatment and follow-up. These fantastic results were presented to our congressman who has assigned his team to work on it. |
Article promoting Cardiac Screening of Military Recruits has been published!
The potential benefits of modern electrocardiogram (ECG) screening for military applicants is described in "Cardiovascular Screening in the U.S. Military: Time to Reconsider the Elecvtrocardiogram" by Charles Magee, MD and Mark C. Haigney, MD. The pdf can be downloaded here.
The Inspector General of the DoD has announced a Pilot Study of Medical Protocols at MEPS!
We are excited about this new project by the Department of Defense. What started as an evaluation of the medical resources at basic training has evolved into a look at the medical protocols and their relation to deaths among recruits. The reannounced objective is to "determine the effectiveness of medical protocols at the recruit training centers in the DoD." www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2019/12/10/dod-inspector-general-is-looking-into-recruit-deaths-at-military-training/
Here is the announcement from the IG and the list of commanders that it went to:
media.defense.gov/2019/Dec/06/2002220997/-1/-1/1/D2020-DEVOPA-0007.000_REDACTED.PDF
Here is the announcement from the IG and the list of commanders that it went to:
media.defense.gov/2019/Dec/06/2002220997/-1/-1/1/D2020-DEVOPA-0007.000_REDACTED.PDF
Pictures from our first Fundraiser Event, Heartbeat for Heroes Motorcycle Ride and Concert!
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Blog posts broaden our exposure
Avive Life wrote up our story. https://www.avive.life/post/laurie-s-fight-to-keep-brave-hearts-beating
Lion Heart Heroes was also featured in Emerg-a-Center's #WhyItMatters campaign. emergacenter.com/whyitmatters-lcpl-david-finlayson/
Lion Heart Heroes was also featured in Emerg-a-Center's #WhyItMatters campaign. emergacenter.com/whyitmatters-lcpl-david-finlayson/
spring 2019
We’ve been busy meeting with Washington state congressional offices to tell our story and raise the issue of the need for screening of recruits with ECGs.
After a number of deaths during physical fitness training at various bases around the country, Laurie was interviewed by Gina Harkins at Military.com about the work the Lion Heart Heroes Foundation is doing. Here is the story that resulted: Group Pushes Military to Give EKGs Before Boot Camp to Stop Sudden Cardiac Deaths.
Two recruits died this year just eight weeks apart during the final fitness run at the Navy’s boot camp, Recruit Training Command at Great Lakes . We contacted the local television station, WKRG, and did a Skype interview. Alabama Naval Recruits Death Drawing National Attention. Our hearts break for these families enduring such sudden loss of their loved ones.
Two recruits died this year just eight weeks apart during the final fitness run at the Navy’s boot camp, Recruit Training Command at Great Lakes . We contacted the local television station, WKRG, and did a Skype interview. Alabama Naval Recruits Death Drawing National Attention. Our hearts break for these families enduring such sudden loss of their loved ones.
Delay on updates?
If you've noticed that it's been a while since the latest web page update, here's why. An unlicensed 15-year-old, driving illegally, lost control of his father's car and ended up crashing into our garage!
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Lion Heart Heroes was on TV!
Marni Hughes of Q13 Fox, a Seattle station, featured Lion Heart Heroes on her Healthy Living segment. If you'd like to share the link, here it is: q13fox.com/2018/11/14/healthy-living-gold-star-mom-donating-aeds-to-keep-military-hearts-beating/
November 7, 2018
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On the five year anniversary of his death, the 1/3 Commanding Officer at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, the 3/3 Chaplain, and many Marines joined friends and family in a ceremony dedicating an AED in memory of LCpl David Finlayson. Two other AEDs are dedicated to Cpl Steven Rintamaki, KIA Iraq, and to all military members who have died from Sudden Cardiac Arrest. Thank you to all of our donors and to Cardiac Science for their help in obtaining military grade Powerheart G5 AEDs for the Marines at MCBH.
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Cardiac Science Powerheart G5 AED and plaque in memory of LCpl David Finlayson, mounted in Kahuna's Enlisted Club.
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Summer 2018
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What a busy summer! We hosted tables at two city fairs, teaching dozens of kids and adults how to use an AED, and raising awareness of Sudden Cardiac Arrest in the young. (A visitor volunteered to sew on Cecil's hat!)
A highlight was the news article in the Enumclaw Courier-Herald, here, which was picked up by the Maple Valley, Covington, Kent, Renton and Federal Way papers. www.courierherald.com/news/i-never-worried-about-his-heart/ |
Spring 2018
We had planned to donate an AED in Hawaii in March as a memorial to our son David, who would be 30 on March 20th, but the Facilities guys at KBay were not ready. It will still happen--now on November 7th, the five-year anniversary of our son's death.
Instead of the Hawaii trip, we moved! Check out our new address in Bonney Lake, WA on the Contact Us page!
Instead of the Hawaii trip, we moved! Check out our new address in Bonney Lake, WA on the Contact Us page!
Impromptu Interview! |
I thought I would be giving my painter a check when he came by, but he asked to interview me about Lion Heart Heroes for the I Love Kent Washington Facebook page. Let us know what you think. I think I need a lot of practice!
Check out the video on Facebook here! |
Laurie Finlayson and Jeff Heiss
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Fall 2017
Board members, Myra, Laurie and John, attending the UW Conference on Prevention of Sudden Cardiac Death in Athletes in Seattle.
Fall was such a busy time. We attended a 2-day conference on Prevention of Sudden Cardiac Death in Athletes, sponsored by the University of Washington School of Medicine. We hosted an information table at a Veterans' Day ceremony at the University of Washington Bothell, which resulted in all kinds of growth and publicity, as detailed in their blog post on UWBNews.
Summer 2017The Same Decade Birthday Party
John and Laurie are ten years apart in age--so every ten years they celebrate being in the same decade agewise. This year, the party had a Lion Heart Heroes theme. Friends donated $1400 so we can donate another AED to a military base. Everyone who came to the party was offered a lesson from Chad Russell of Cardiac Science on hands-only CPR and how to use an AED. It made the party so meaningful! |
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June 2017I changed jobs so that I am now working part-time instead of full-time. This will allow me more time to focus on Lion Heart Heroes.
First order of business: a new look and new tag line: Lion Heart Heroes Foundation Keep military hearts beating! Stand up to Sudden Cardiac Arrest through * Awareness * Prevention * Survival |
March 2017We partnered with Nick of Time Foundation to hold a screening at Kentwood High School on March 8th. This is where David went to JROTC, so it was perfect for our inaugural screening event. We screened 293 young people and found three with heart problems that needed follow-up.
February 2017Sometimes it feels like things are moving so slowly, but then suddenly, something breaks loose and events start happening at a rapid pace. That's the way it's been this winter. It took months to get approval to donate an AED to Naval Station Everett--we had to get permission from the Rear Admiral! Then, the approval letter arrived, we bought the AED and we held the donation ceremony on February 24th at 11:00am.
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Lion Heart Heroes donated an AED to the JROTC unit at Kentwood High School.
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AED Dedication Ceremony at Naval Station Everett
The ceremony at Naval Station Everett was written up in an article by Petty Officer 3rd Class Joseph E. Montemarano for DVIDS, which can be found here. More pictures and a Facebook Live video are on our Facebook page.