Christie Clinic Illinois Marathon helps hundreds learn Hands-Only CPR
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — Around 200 people used test dummies to practice chest compressions at Memorial Stadium on Friday during the Christie Clinic Race Weekend.
For the proper Hands-Only CPR technique, you clench your hands together and press down until you hear a click which signals you've gone down far enough to actually get blood pumping. Now, because of the training, hundreds will be ready to step in during life-threatening scenarios.
Champaign Co. Children's Advocacy Center holds open house for Child Abuse Awareness Month
'We saw a need to bring attention to Hands-Only CPR for those that are out on the course,' said Medical Director Lynn Ullestad.
If you're at the Illinois Marathon on Saturday, you might see someone wearing a yellow bib. It means they've been trained in Hands-Only CPR.
'We hope no one ever has to use it,' Ullestad said. 'But if there's a need, we want people to know what to do.'
It's lead by the American Heart Association. More than 40 volunteers taught the basic technique and made sure they were able to demonstrate the movement effectively.
'Push hard, push fast,' Ullestad said. 'That's the immediate lesson here.'
Alida de Flamingh is running the 10K for the first time. She heard about the class from an email the race sent out and was moved by the story of Rafael Ruggeri: A doctor who had a heart attack on the course but was saved by his son through Hands-Only CPR.
Best Buddies Friendship Walk making a difference in Champaign
'[If] I'm in a situation like that, I want to be able to help save somebody's life,' de Flamingh said.
The training was open to anyone, not just racers. The Fighting Illini women's soccer team dropped in through their head coach's unique connection.
'My wife works for Stryker who's a big sponsor of the event,' said Head Women's Soccer Coach Katie Hultin. 'We're pretty passionate about it in our house.'
Hultin said Hands-Only CPR is great for their sport because of how much they run. But it's also helpful off the pitch, with hundreds coming to visit for camps and recruiting, not to mention everyday life.
'I'm moving my family here,' Hultin said. 'I've got 30 athletes that live in this community as well, and to know that all of these people are taking time out of their day to learn this skill that hopefully they never have to use, but if they do, they're going to be prepared.'
The American Heart Association employee who was running the training said someone who took this training in February has already saved someone's life.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Hillsborough County installing AEDs at 25 parks and sports complexes
The Brief Hillsborough County is installing AEDs at 23 parks and sports complexes. The AEDs were funded by the American Heart Association. The AEDs will be available for anyone to use in the event of a cardiac emergency. TAMPA, Fla. - Hillsborough County is equipping about two dozen of its parks with emergency gear in the event of a cardiac emergency. The county will install 25 AEDs, automated external defibrillators, at 23 parks and sports complexes across the county. Follow FOX 13 on YouTube What we know The American Heart Assocation funded the purchase of 25 AEDs for the Hillsborough County parks and sports complexes. The first AED has been installed at the Skyway Sports Complex. It will be one of two parks that will have two AEDs onsite, because of its size. "We're going to focus on putting these AEDs in sports complexes like this one that are very, very busy with thousands of users," Mikah Collins of Hillsborough County Parks and Recreation said. "But, we're also going to put them in our parks that are way out in the middle of nowhere, and that's going to be even more important, because it takes so long for an ambulance or first responders to get there." READ: Tampa Police get 300 new lifesaving choking devices from New York-based company The AEDs will be available for public use in the event of a cardiac emergency. The American Heart Association of Tampa Bay said if someone goes into cardiac arrest, when you call 911, dispatchers will give you a code to unlock the box containing the AED. "As soon as you open the machine, it's going to start talking, and it's going to tell you exactly what to do," Courtney Burt, the vice president of community impact with the American Heart Association of Tampa Bay, said. Burt said someone else should be performing CPR while the person is accessing the AED, and you're waiting for EMS to arrive. MORE: Tampa's SoHo braces for stormwater project amid business concerns By the numbers The American Heart Association said the first two minutes of someone going into cardiac arrest are the most important in terms of response. "CPR actually raises a person's chance of survival about two to three times," Burt said. "When we introduce an AED within that two-minute window, it can actually increase their survivability up to almost 70%." Burt said about 1,000 people a day in the U.S. have an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. She said a person's chance of surviving an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is less than 10%. "With an AED, it really probably triples your likelihood of surviving a major heart attack," Dr. Doug Ross, the chief medical officer of the AdventHealth West Florida division, said. Dig deeper Ross said an AED can be the difference between life and death. He said the machines are user-friendly and designed to be used by people who are not trained with them. READ: Week-long active threat training held with Hillsborough County deputies "Talks you through it. These are very automatic, you know," Ross said. "You turn it on, it talks you through how to put the pads on, what to do. It'll analyze the heart rhythm. And then, if you need to be shocked, then it tells you to push the button to shock." There's a growing movement to make AEDs more accessible. Governor Ron DeSantis signed House Bill 1607, which will require school districts to provide basic first aid training to certain students. It will also require every public school and charter school to have at least one AED on campus by July 1, 2027. "Not only will it help get funding and resources for schools to have the devices, but also the education related to CPR and policies that we call 'Cardiac Emergency Response Plans,'" Burt said. The new Florida law will go into effect on July 1. What's next Hillsborough County officials are installing the AEDs at the county parks and sports complexes and connecting them with 911 now. They hope the AEDs will be ready for use by August. WATCH FOX 13 NEWS: STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 13 TAMPA: Download the FOX Local app for your smart TV Download FOX Local mobile app:Apple |Android Download the FOX 13 News app for breaking news alerts, latest headlines Download the SkyTower Radar app Sign up for FOX 13's daily newsletter
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Hawai'i's CPR training campaign launched by Heart Association
HONOLULU (KHON2) — The American Heart Association Hawai'i is rolling out its first-ever Community Impact Days this week, aiming to empower residents with life-saving CPR skills during CPR and AED Awareness Week, observed from June 1 to 7. Spectra Fest bringing the community together AHA Hawai'i's Community Impact Director Elizabeth Cotterell, alongside Dory Clisham, training manager at American Medical Response, spoke about the initiative with Chris Latronic live from the AHA headquarters on Richards Street. The campaign focuses on Hands-Only CPR training, particularly important as children head into summer and spend more time away from trained adults like teachers and coaches. The push comes with a sobering statistic: more than 350,000 people suffer cardiac arrest outside of a hospital each year in the U.S., and about 70% of those incidents occur at home. Without immediate intervention, 90% of these cases are fatal.'CPR can double or even triple someone's chance of survival,' Cotterell said. 'And kids as young as 9 years old can learn it.' As part of its centennial year, the American Heart Association is calling on every family in Hawai'i to help build a 'Nation of Lifesavers'—a movement to ensure that anyone, anywhere is ready to respond during a cardiac emergency. The organization has set an ambitious goal: double the survival rate for cardiac arrest by 2030. Free Hands-Only CPR training sessions will be held this Saturday, June 7, at the Waimānalo Health Center, open to all members of the community. Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news For more information or to register, visit: Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Potomac gives Make-A-Wish teen a taste of the islands
POTOMAC, Ill. (WCIA) — One Vermillion County village is banding together, giving a Make-A-Wish recipient a sendoff for her dream vacation. And, they brought the beach theme from more than 4,000 miles away. It was a rainy day in Central Illinois, but you could still find a slice of the island life in Potomac. The village's grade school hosted a sendoff for Aleyah Carley, who was diagnosed with leukemia in 2022. DACC extends contract of interim President amidst search for permanent candidate 'I was scared, anxious, all that because I was going to be gone from my family for a while,' Carley said. 'We weren't really sure what all of it meant.' What followed was more than a year of traveling, treatment and trials. 'It's very exhausting,' said Aleyah's mother, Theresa Carley, 'It's, you know, a lot of sleepless nights wondering what the next day's going to bring.' After a few rounds of chemo and a bone marrow transplant, Aleyah is feeling better. But one social worker gave her a suggestion to give the 16-year-old an extra boost. They suggested applying for the Make-A-Wish program, which the family did in 2023. And last year, she learned that her wish would be granted. 'I was very excited,' Aleyah said. 'It's kind of like a shock … I was like, 'Wow, this is really happening.'' Vermilion Advantage gets grant to create jobs, improve economy In just a few days, Aleyah is going to get to take the trip of a lifetime. But for now, she gets a little taste of the island life. 'I chose Hawaii because I feel like that's like a once in a lifetime type thing that I want to be able to do again,' Aleyah said. The Carley's will be heading to Oahu this Sunday, but her Make-A-Wish sponsors wanted to celebrate with her at home as well. 'Our community has done so much for us over the past couple of years and supported us and encouraged us,' Theresa said. 'And now that we're in a really good spot, we really want to celebrate with them.' Aleyah said her and her family plan visit the Pearl Harbor Museum and explore the island, but what she's most looking forward to is relaxing and resetting after fighting the disease. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
