NWSL add lifesavers to the chain of survival in New York City

The American Heart Association and the National Women’s Soccer League provided Hands-Only CPR education to headquarters staff to improve cardiac emergency outcomes
According to American Heart Association data, nine out of every ten people who experience cardiac arrest outside of a hospital die, in part because they do not receive immediate CPR more than half of the time. CPR, especially if performed immediately, can double or triple a person’s chance of survival. That is why the American Heart Association and the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) brought cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automated external defibrillator (AED) training to NWSL staff at the New York headquarters office located on Madison Avenue on Tuesday, July 23. Employees learned the lifesaving skill to build confidence and capabilities to respond in the event of a cardiac emergency.

“Early recognition and action in a cardiac emergency is the difference between life and death. When seconds matter it is important to have people nearby who are confident and capable to begin administering CPR. This event with National Women’s League Soccer is helping to support that critical link in the community” said Nancy Brown, chief executive officer of the American Heart Association. “As we celebrate 100 years of lifesaving work, we know that with every CPR training we perform we are one step closer to ensuring that everyone, everywhere is prepared and empowered to perform CPR and become a vital link in the chain of survival.”

The American Heart Association is the worldwide leader in resuscitation science, education, and training, and publishes the official scientific guidelines for CPR. With nearly 3 out of 4 cardiac arrests outside of the hospital occurring in homes, knowing how to perform CPR is critically important. With more bystanders certified with the knowledge of CPR, the chance for a positive recovery increase for the community.

Hands-Only CPR participants learned the correct rate and depth of compressions and how to use an AED. Compression-only CPR, known as Hands-Only CPR, can be equally effective as traditional CPR in the first few minutes of emergency response and is a skill everyone can learn. It is as simple as calling 911 if you see a teen or adult suddenly collapse and then push hard and fast in the center of the chest.

"Our NWSL staff in our New York City office were such focused, enthusiastic learners during American Heart Association's Hands-Only CPR training,” said Dr Cindy Chang, Chief Medical Officer for the National Women’s Soccer League. “Our goal is that they will pass on the importance of learning Hands-Only CPR and AED use to their friends and family members. We will expand and offer this American Heart Association education to staff members in our NWSL Chicago office soon.”

This is the second collaboration to improve emergency outcomes between the NWSL and the American Heart Association, who along with the NFL, are founding members of the Smart Heart Sports Coalition, which was founded in 2023. The goal of the national campaign is to prevent death from sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) among high school athletes by advocating for all 50 states to adopt evidence-based policies that will prevent fatal outcomes from SCA among high school students. According to the American Heart Association, as many as 23,000 people under the age of 18 experience SCA annually (out-of-hospital). It is a leading cause of death for student-athletes. Sports-related SCA accounted for nearly 40% of SCAs among people under the age of 18. If implemented across all 50 states, these simple, cost-effective strategies can prevent deaths from SCA.