Living for Zachary SuperHeart Program, Jessica Cook

The Living for Zachary SuperHeart Program is a multi-faceted approach to equip educators and students with Automatic External Defibrillators (AED)to act efficiently during a cardiac episode on campus.
CEO, Jessica Cook, shares how schools and youth groups are provided with lifesaving, AEDs, a SaveStation, CPR training, heart screenings, awareness events, and more.

Episode Transcript

(00:09):
Welcome to Advocacy and Motion. Weare here to give a vision and a
voice to nonprofit organizations and individuals makingan impact in our community. And before
I introduce my guest today, Iwould like to thank our presenting sponsor,
Niagara Conservation, for their continued supportfor the many nonprofits featured on this program.

(00:29):
Niagara is the leading manufacturer and distributorof water saving, cost saving plumbing
products. I especially want to thankthem for providing these products to many nonprofit
affordable housing projects, including the newVolunteers of America Oaks Senior Community in Dallas.
The good news is that these productsare now available to every homeowner,

(00:51):
so go to Niagara Coort dot comor home Depot dot com to see all
these savings. I also want tothank Haven Energy, Wellness and Gifts for
the Soul in downtown Richardson. Checkout paranhahaven dot com for an array of
unique and meaningful gifts, including jewelryfrom free trade villages and art from local
artists. You also see a lineupof renowned psychic readers and spiritual healing sessions

(01:19):
paranahaven dot com. Thank you foryour support for this past year. Welcome
my guest today is Jessica Cook.She is the executive director of Living for
Zachary. Welcome, thank you,thanks for having us. Like many of
our guests, Living for Zachary wasfounded in response to a tragedy the Round.

(01:40):
Basketball coach John Woodins once said,things turn out for the best for
those who make the best of theway things turn out. That is a
founding tenant. Tell us about Zacharyand the development of Living for Zachary.
So, Zach was a healthy teenagersixteen, loved football, sport, all

(02:01):
sports, love to hunt and fish, just a regular kid. And one
day he was at football practice atPlano East and collapsed. His family later
found out that he had thickening ofthe heart or HCM, and they just
had no idea that he had thisbecause he had always had his physicals and

(02:23):
like I said, he was justcompletely healthy. So once they found out
that he had a heart condition,his mom wanted to start an organization that
would just really just to spread awarenessand let other people know that sudden cardiac
arrest does happen to children. Youknow, you think you think of heart
issues with adults or older people,you don't necessarily think of youth and so

(02:47):
she really wanted just to spread awarenessand let people know that this is something
that could happen to your child aswell. And now we've involved into this
you know, multifaceted organization where we'redoing everything from preventing sudden cardiac arrests,
providing education and all the things inbetween. So I know you do quite
a lot. Let's start at thebeginning. Certain cardiac arrest what is that

(03:12):
exactly? So, sun cardiac arrestsis when your heart stops suddenly. It's
different from a heart attack. Aheart attack occurs usually because of the plumbing
issue in your heart, a blockagetowards sun cardiac arrests or SCA is more
of the electrical side of your heart. And when it happens, it's sudden.
You're down towards again with a heartattack. You might you know,

(03:34):
have pain and you know some warningsigns. There are some warning signs with
SCA, but when it happens,it happens, okay, And this is
what happened to Zachary and so manyother writing people throughout there's young people and
adults happen the automated external defibrillators.This is the key to what living for

(03:57):
Zachary is about Is that correct?I mean, we offer a couple of
different programs. You know, ourmission is to prevent signed cardiac arrest and
youth and so there's a couple ofdifferent things that we do. Yes,
our AD donation program is one ofour largest program. It puts ADS into
youth based organizations and so in casethere is a cardiac emergency, it's there,

(04:23):
you know, to help in thesituation. But we also provide youth
heart screenings as well, and sothat is you know, we're trying to
find the issue with the children beforethere's an incident, knowing that we can't
and unfortunately we can't screen every child. That's why the ads are so important,
because you know, if a childdoesn't have a screening so well,

(04:44):
I know you've screened over eleven thousandkids. That's just remarkable. What is
the scope of LOOM exactly as faras geography or regions or how does that
work. Yeah, So we're currentlyserving the metroplex, the Dallas Fort Worth
Metroplex. We do. Our ADprogram is all throughout Texas and we're looking
to expand that into some of oursurrounding states in the next year. Or

(05:05):
two, but our heart screening programis a little more limited to the DFW
area. Okay, and you alsoprovide scholarships. How does that work?
Yeah, so we we have acouple of scholarships that we give to Plano
East to the football team there inhonor of Zach. But then we also
provide a few to El Centro andalso Baylor, Scott and White's Echo Park

(05:29):
program. So we're trying to help, you know, those that are going
into the medical field wanting to besonographers that help us do our heart screenings
because without them, we couldn't dowhat we do, and so we do
offer a few to help with thatas well. What are the scholarships for,
I mean, is it a cashscholarship or is it it goes it's
awarded directly to a student. Theyhave some criteria that they have to meet,

(05:54):
you know, they provide you know, the need, the financial need,
like they wouldn't be able to goto school without these funds. They
usually write an essay kind of explainingwhy they have that financial need. They
have to have a certain GPA andsome other things that are set in place
by the school to receive it.Okay, and the Superhart program. Tell
us about that. So our Superhartprograms, our latest program, it's really

(06:16):
just kind of taking all of ourprograms and putting them into one. So
we're going into schools or other youthorganizations such as like a boys and girls
club or a YMCA for instance,or a school, and we're going in
and we're doing all of our programs. We're providing education to the staff,
the students, and the parents.We're placing AEDs in the school. A

(06:43):
lot of schools already have AEDs,but not necessarily enough, and so we're
making sure we're kind of assessing whatthey have and like what any additional needs
they may have. So we're placingour ads, We're certifying the staff and
coaches in CPR, We're providing someCPR training to students, and then again

(07:05):
we're educating the parents as well.Okay, now I know that sudden cardiac
arrests is number one killer of studentsof young adults. How are you going
about educating the public that's the parentsof the schools, so to get more
involved. Yeah, So that wasone of the reasons our Superhart program was

(07:28):
created, was to help you knowwhere a majority of our kids are at
they're at school, and so that'syou know, we're trying to get into
the schools to kind of get thatinformation filter it through them. So yeah,
so we're trying, you know,anything on social media, we put
out education through the schools, throughanyone that we donate ads too. We

(07:48):
try to always provide education to thosefamilies as well. Okay, so why
are these ad just so important?Why was there a lack of them for
so long? And what you're doingnow to fill that gap? I think
it's awareness. Education goes back toeducation. I think people not knowing,

(08:11):
you know, with the recent eventsthat have happened in the last few years,
such as the mar Hamlin last year. You know it happened on national
TV when he collapsed. That reallygave awareness to the community, to everyone
that oh, wow, like thiscould happen at any time. You know.

(08:31):
We do a big thing with youknow, find the AD. So
many of us walk into a buildingand we have no idea that there's an
a a ED there or where it'sat. And I think it's just again
it's just kind of have that educationof knowing about them, knowing that why
they're so important. I think there'salso been a little bit of a fear

(08:52):
to use an AD like I don'tknow how to use it. I don't
know what to do with it,and you don't have to know how to
use it. If you open it, it will tell you what to do.
It walks you through from step oneall the way to pushing the button
to provide a shock. And it'sonly going to provide a shock if someone
needs that. You're not going tohurt someone by using it. Okay,

(09:16):
So is there any way to preventsudden cardiac arrest? Is there anything?
That's why our heart screening program isso important, you know, finding any
of these electrical issues that a childcould have been born with that's not picked
up by your normal physical you know. Our heart screening is kind of a
five step process. We go in. We do an SCA questionnaire, so

(09:39):
just kind of finding out some familyhistory and things like that that the doctors
could look at and say, oh, that's you know, that could be
a trigger there. We also doa blood pressure check, an EKG,
and a limited echo cardiogram, andthen a board certified cardiologist reviews that screening
and then provides the results to thefamily. I mean that's a that's a

(10:01):
broad program a lot of schools.How are you staffed? How does all
this work together as an organization?Well, we're small but mighty. We
have a small staff. We havethree full time employees and two part time
employees, and we just have wehave someone a program director, her name
is Shelby, that helps us manageall of our screenings ad donations that are

(10:26):
coming in. We also rely heavilyon volunteers to serve on our AD committee
that reviews these applications to help usdetermine how many ads and organization needs and
or you know, they might befull least, they might not need one,
or they might need more than whatthey're asking for. So yeah,
we're always looking for volunteers to helpus because we don't have a very large

(10:48):
staff that we're trying to serve.You know, all of the DFW Metroplex
plus tax all of Texas really allright? I know that there are many
many success stories and one that reallytouched me was coach Tom Rap coach at
Planos High School, same school thatZach Hey sudden cardiac arrest there on the

(11:11):
field. This time the outcome isdifferent. Tell us how this is such
a success story. So Coach Rapcollapsed, like you said, at Planois
on a football practice one day,and that was the same school that Zach
was at, same fuel as Zachcollapsed on. Some of the same coaches

(11:33):
that were there when Zach passed awaywere also there when Coach Rap collapsed.
And yeah, you're right. Thedifference is is that this time around with
Coach Rap, they had an ADreadily available. They're able to get to
the AD and get back to himwith under thirty minutes and get started on
CPR and it saved his life.Like I said, there are many success

(11:56):
stories us. We'll come back tothis again, but tell us about how
people get touch your website. AndI know we'll show some of the videos
or some of the things on showabout some success stories, especially some young
lady there on the drill team.And it happens to everyone. I mean,
it can't happen to everyone, butthe screening save those lives, yes,
and that is what it's about.So tell us how people can get

(12:20):
in touch and help and go tothe website. You can visit our website
at livingfor Zachary dot org and onthere you will find any upcoming heart screening
events, you're able to. Ourvolunteer application is online AED application if you
have any if you're a part ofany youth based organizations, or if your
child is involved in any youth basedorganizations, so sports, church, schools,

(12:46):
anything like that where youth are goingto be present, we encourage you
to apply for an ad as well. All right, very good. And
your website again, Living for Zacharydot org. All right, that is
terrific. You've got some events comingup, some fundraiser stuff now fortunately unfortunately

(13:07):
fundraising as part of every nonprofit.It's just it's the way it is.
Tell us about the events coming upand how people can donate. Yeah,
so I mean we again, justlike we rely heavily on our volunteers,
we rely heavily on our donors.We couldn't do what we do without our
donors, and we do. Wehave a big event every year as our
annual gala, it's our Heartbeats Gala. This year is going to be held

(13:30):
on February seventeenth at Gilly's Dallas.It's fun where it's a little different for
us. We've always kind of donea black tie event and we're going country
this year. Soun fun. Yeah, So we're going to have some country
entertainment and get our boots and hatsout and just have a good time and
raise money for sun cardiac arrest.And of course you can found that on

(13:50):
the website. Yes, that willbe under our events as well. So
ticket information you're able to purchase individualtickets and there's also sponsorship information if you
if you're family or a company withlikee a sponsor. I know you can't
do this alone and you have tohave some partners in there. Who are
some of your corporate partners. Whoare the people that have really stepped up
to help out. So Baylor,Scott and White. The Heart Hospital has

(14:13):
been there since day one. They'reone of the very first phone calls that
was made when Living for Zachary wasfounded. They helped establish our heart screening.
So we have a physician advisory boardthat they help us put together to
create our heart screening. They helped, you know, they help their presenting
sponsor at this year's Heartbeats Scala,and we just would not be where we

(14:35):
are today without them all right now, How we find nonprofit organizations various ways.
Some contact us, we reach out. I happen to be watching the
Cowboys Eagles again. Huh. Andannouncer Greg Olsen did a promo piece about
living for Zachary tell us his connectionand how that helps you guys. Yeah,
so we were able to connect withGreg. His son actually has a

(14:58):
heart condition and they have his familyhas a foundation back in North Carolina where
they're from. And in October withSOUN Cardiac Arrests Awareness Month, and we
use the same ad distributor to FIPTech and we all just came together.
He was going to be here inDallas, wanted to do a project here

(15:20):
and so we came together to provideads to some local organizations with him.
Oh that's driving and get some nationalpublishing and stuff. Yeah, we've talked
about quite a few things. Buttell me what about miss What do you
want our audis to know that wehaven't talked about. I think just again
kind of going back to the education. You know, we've talked a lot

(15:43):
about ads and just for everyone toknow. One. When you go into
a building, look for an aD Look and see it's usually on a
main wall, you know, lookfor the sign. They usually have kind
of a sign above the ad.Look for that. Nowhere is that so
that if something does happen, you'reready to react and don't be afraid to

(16:06):
use it again. A lot oftimes people kind of, you know,
step away because they're like, well, I don't know what to do.
I don't want to hurt someone.You're not hurting them by using it.
So just not being afraid to getthat AD off the wall, opening it,
turning it on, and just listeningto what it tells you to do.
And then we also, you know, we provide CPR as well.

(16:27):
We haven't talked too much about that, but every AD donation that we do
to an organization, we go inand provide AD certification and CPR certification with
that donation, so any employees,volunteer staff in that organization is able to
get certified so that they do havean idea of what you know, they
know how to do CPR and theyknow how to work the AED. So

(16:51):
if you're not CPR certified, youknow, look into that. You know,
we do some community classes for thatas well, if anything, just
learn hands only cp are but justknow what to do in a case of
emergency. Okay, so not justschool stuff, but if there's corporations out
there businesses, can they get intouch with you just to kind of get
the information and help them know whereto find help, and absolutely good.

(17:12):
So again on our website at Livingfor Zachary dot org. On there you'd
be able to get find an emailaddress for contact at Living for Zachary and
we would be able to provide anyinformation that they need or if they are
wanting something, you know, CPRfor their building, anything like that we
can help out with. I know, and watching some of the videos on

(17:33):
your website, especially the young ladythat was in the drill team and stuff,
the screening helped them, right theywithout the screen and discovering the problem
was the success story there. AndI think there's a couple other young young
men football players and kind of stufftell us about the screening that seems to
be really important of how that happens. Yeah, I think just again,

(17:59):
we offer our screen are free,We keep them posted on our website.
We try to do, you know, at least one per month for the
public. And I think it's justnot just thinking oh, well, my
child, their fiscals are fine,you know, taking that it takes about
twenty minutes to have your child screened, and you know, having that electro,

(18:22):
that EKG and that echo cardiogram canreally tell more than just you know,
the doctor listening with the tests whenthe doctor just listens to your heart.
So just taking that extra twenty minutesto sign up and do that,
all right, very good. Iwant thank you so much for being here
and for sharing the story. AndI want to encourage everybody to go to

(18:44):
the website tell us one more time, Living for Zachary dot org and anyway
you can find ways to help out, to volunteer. And the gala sounds
like a lot of fun. Yes, you have to come and join us.
Get a dust your cowboy boots off. I have cowboy so I would
love that. Well, thank youso much, and I want to thank
our presenting sponsored Niagara once again forall their help and support over this past

(19:07):
year and for their support in thefuture. And Parana Haven wonderful place for
energy, willis and gifts for thesoul. So thank you again, thank
you, thanks for having us,all right,