On Thursday, November 14, 100s of Hollidaysburg area residents gathered to support 16-year-old Spencer Davis, a high school sophomore from Hollidaysburg who survived sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) during football practice in September, at his “Anyone Can Help Awareness Fair” at Hollidaysburg High School.
The interactive event, sponsored by ZOLL, included representation from from ZOLL Public Safety, the American Heart Association and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center – Altoona, among others and was designed to debunk the myth that AEDs only shock a victim, by emphasizing the critical role they play in empowering the public to act in a crisis by issuing easy-to-follow, step by step audio and visual instructions on how to administer effective and precise CPR. The fair also issued an important call-to-action for attendees to join Spencer in advocating for better AED access and education across Pennsylvania.
At the center of the evening was the Heroes Ceremony, hosted by ZOLL, the makers of the AED that empowered Spencer’s coaches and trainer to help save his life on the field, and included the presentation of awards to the brave individuals, including a donation several new ZOLL AEDs for Spencer to gift to organizations of his choice.
As a special surprise, former Pitt and now Buffalo Bills Safety and ZOLL AED Advocate Damar Hamlin, who similarly experienced SCA on the football field, delighted the crowd with a video message to Spencer and his football team acknowledging their bravery on and off the field and their efforts to raise AED awareness. Hamlin also expressed his support for the community’s commitment to improving cardiac arrest preparedness.
“We’re thrilled to support Spencer and his mission to create advocacy around his own personal experiences with sudden cardiac arrest and his plight to ensure that when the unexpected happens bystanders are armed with AEDs and the knowledge that by turning it on they can play a critical role in helping to save a life,” said Lori Peters, Associate Director, Partnerships and Advocacy at ZOLL.
Spencer and his family also launched the Spencer Davis Foundation, which aims to increase the public understanding of AEDs, and access to these devices across Pennsylvania, one of 30 states that still do not require AEDs in schools. As part of his advocacy, Spencer has already inspired 30 area coaches to become certified in CPR and AED use in preparation for the upcoming winter sports season.
I hope everyone like me has people nearby who know how an AED can empower them to help and are brave enough to use it. That’s what saved my life, and I want everyone to have that same chance.
Spencer Davis,
SCA survivor
“I hope everyone like me has people nearby who know how an AED can empower them to help and are brave enough to use it. That’s what saved my life, and I want everyone to have that same chance.” Spencer said.
Those who want to get more involved in raising awareness around the important role AEDs play in emergencies can visit AnyoneCanHelp.com.
