The American Heart Association brought critical heart health education to fans at the Battle of the Legends college football game on Thursday, using the matchup between Delaware State Hornets and Norfolk State Spartans to raise awareness about hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and Hands-Only CPR. HCM is the leading cause of sudden cardiac death among young athletes, according to the American Heart Association, which organized an interactive pregame "Heart Health Zone" at Lincoln Financial Field.
HCM, a condition that causes the heart muscle to thicken and stiffen, affects an estimated 1 in every 500 young people in the United States, yet often goes undiagnosed. The American Heart Association's presence at the event aimed to change that by educating attendees on recognizing the condition and responding to cardiac emergencies. Participants learned the correct rate and depth of CPR compressions through walk-up style training opportunities, part of the Association's Nation of Lifesavers™ movement, which seeks to double cardiac arrest survival rates by 2030.
"Moments like this remind us that heart health belongs everywhere - in our homes, our schools and even at the 50-yard line," said Jennifer Litchman-Green, executive director of the American Heart Association, Greater Philadelphia. "Conditions like HCM are so prevalent, yet so many people don't know how widespread the condition is or how to jump into action if a sudden cardiac arrest episode happens. By reaching fans and families where they are, we are helping build stronger, more informed communities that know how to protect and save lives."
Throughout the evening, fans received business cards with QR codes linking to additional resources on HCM, Hands-Only CPR, and information on starting a Heart Club at schools. The Association's activation at the Battle of the Legends game reflects its broader mission to ensure that all communities, particularly those historically underrepresented in health care, have access to life-saving knowledge and resources. The initiative builds on the Association's ongoing work with historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), student-athletes, and community leaders to expand health literacy and improve outcomes for heart disease and stroke.
Fans were encouraged to visit Heart.org/HCMStudentAthlete and Heart.org/Nation to continue learning and share resources within their networks. The American Heart Association's HCM awareness and education in athletes is made possible in part by a grant from the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation.
