Committee on Health and Aging

Ohio House of Representative

Committee on Health and Aging

May 13, 2016

Proponent Testimony

SB 252

Dear Chairman Gonzales, Vice Chairman Huffman, Ranking Member Antonio, and members of the House Health and Aging Committee,

I am writing in support of SB 252.

I am a medical professional who has had over fifteen years of experience in the medical field and I have witnessed the saddening effects of heart conditions in our youth and young adults. Shortly after the birth of my fourth child I was diagnosed with a life threatening arrhythmia. This forever changed my life as well as was my perspective onthe heart conditions of young student athletes. My medical background allowed me to have a general understanding of the signs and symptoms of a potentially serious cardiac condition and this led me to see my cardiologist and to have an intervention before my symptoms progressed. Likewise educating coaches, athletes and parents might allow them to recognize a cardiac concern and seek medical attention before a more traumatic event occurs.

Sadly the first symptom of a serious conduction abnormality can often be cardiac arrest and resultant death. Cardiac arrest in a healthy and physically fit individual is not uncommon. Young adults are often asymptomatic and unaware of any cardiac concerns even when they are present. Reports state that in the United States a young competitive athlete dies suddenly every three days. Therefore, it is essential to be informed and to know how to respond to such an emergency. It could be the difference between life and death.

As the mother of four children who are involved in competitive sports I would find it comforting to know that their coach is Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) certified and that the facility that they are competing has an Automated External defibrillator (AED). Unfortunately this is not always the case! I feel SB 252 will potentially address this problem and make our young athletes safer.

I am co-founder of Hearts Beat With Hope, a nonprofit organization based out of Granville, Ohio. Our organization is dedicated to promoting awareness about sudden cardiac emergencies and to help provide equipment to our communities to give them the essential tools necessary to act in an emergent situation. In addition to providing free CPR training, we attempt to provide AEDs to schools, businesses and to families that are financially unable to purchase the devices. Passing this legislation would nicely compliment the efforts of Hearts Beat With Hope as well as other organizations in the state of Ohio that promote cardiac advocacy and serve to protect the lives of those in our communities. Passing this bill could help to prevent the unnecessary loss of a young life as a result of a sudden cardiac emergency. It could provide knowledge and confidence for a coach, parent, or teammate to act in an emergent situation by recognizing the signs/ symptoms of a potentially serious cardiac condition and thus encouraging the athlete to seek medical attention before a more serious cardiac event occurs.

By implementing this bill we can educate our coaches, athletes and parents and join the efforts of other states who have established similar legislation, to make our athletic organizations heart safe! In closing, I support SB 252 and I look forward to having this bill implemented in our athletic organizations.

Leigh Priano PA-C

Hearts Beat With Hope, co founder