“Stayin’ Alive” with Hands-Only CPR
Remember Disco?
The American Heart Association and comedic actress Jennifer Coolidge are pumping new life into a 70’s disco classic to help save lives. The Bee Gees’ hit – which is the near-perfect rate for doing chest compressions during CPR – is a centerpiece of the American Heart Association’s new Hands-Only CPR awareness campaign that asks Americans to take 60 seconds to learn the life-saving skill online, or hands-on at local training events. The “how to” video can be viewed here: www.heart.org/handsonlycpr.
Supported by a $4.5 million grant from the WellPoint Foundation, the campaign will contribute to the American Heart Association’s goal to double survival from cardiac arrest by 2020. Coolidge, whose work includes CBS’ “Two Broke Girls” and numerous films such as “Best in Show”, “American Pie” and “Legally Blonde”, stars in the American Heart Association’s humorous new public service announcement (YouTube.com/HandsOnlyCPR) to teach everyone the two easy steps of Hands-Only CPR.
If a teen or adult suddenly collapses, call 9-1-1 and then push hard and fast in the center of the chest to the beat of “Stayin’ Alive” until help arrives. “It seems almost impossible to me that the whole world doesn’t know CPR. I learned Hands-Only CPR while shooting the American Heart Association’s new PSA, and now I know how to save a life,” said Coolidge. “Who would’ve thought? I can save a life!”
CPR Can Double or Triple Chance of Survival
Nearly 400,000 Americans suffer an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest every year, and almost 90 percent of them die because they don’t receive immediate CPR from someone on the scene. When begun immediately, CPR can double or triple a person’s chance of survival. “Our mission is to enhance the health and well-being of individuals and families, so it’s a natural fit that we would support the American Heart Association’s Hands-Only CPR campaign,” said Dr. Sam Nussbaum, Executive Vice President, Clinical Health Policy and Chief Medical Officer for WellPoint. “Too many people die unnecessarily each year from sudden cardiac arrest, and we are committed to helping improve this public health crisis.”
Lifesaving “How To” Messages
The campaign uses entertainment and humor to deliver serious lifesaving messages through the launch of TV and radio public service announcements, digital promotions, a one-minute animated Hands-Only CPR “how to” video and a multi-city mobile CPR training tour.
Hands-Only CPR “How To” Video
This one-minute animated video walks viewers through the easy steps of Hands-Only CPR, www.heart.org/handsonlycpr.
Public Service Announcement (PSA)
In the PSA, which re-imagines the opening scene from Saturday Night Fever, Coolidge struts to “Stayin’ Alive” as she recounts the simple steps to help save a life, ignoring interruptions from many – presumably because EVERYONE around her knows Hands-Only CPR. To watch the PSA and a 60-second “how-to” video on using Hands-Only CPR to help save a life, hustle to www.heart.org/handsonlycpr or www.facebook.com/handsonlycpr.
About the American Heart Association
The American Heart Association is devoted to saving people from heart disease and stroke – America’s No. 1 and No. 4 killers. We team with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies, and provide lifesaving tools and information to prevent and treat these diseases. The Dallas-based association is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. As part of our dedication to save lives, we are setting out to train all Americans in lifesaving Hands-Only CPR. To learn more or to get involved, call 1-800-AHA-USA1, visit heart.org or call any of our offices around the country.
About WellPoint Foundation
The WellPoint Foundation is the philanthropic arm of WellPoint, Inc. and through charitable contributions and programs, the Foundation promotes the inherent commitment of WellPoint, Inc. to enhance the health and well-being of individuals and families in communities that WellPoint, Inc. and its affiliated health plans serve. The Foundation focuses its funding on strategic initiatives that address and provide innovative solutions to health care challenges, as well as promoting the Healthy Generations Program, a multi-generational initiative that targets specific disease states and medical conditions. These disease states and medical conditions include: prenatal care in the first trimester, low birth weight babies, cardiac morbidity rates, long term activities that decrease obesity and increase physical activity, diabetes prevalence in adult populations, adult pneumococcal and influenza vaccinations and smoking cessation. The Foundation also coordinates the company’s annual associate giving campaign and provides a 50 percent match of associates’ campaign pledges. To learn more about the WellPoint Foundation, please visit www.wellpointfoundation.org.
About Jennifer Coolidge
Jennifer Coolidge is a versatile character actress and experimental comedienne, best known for playing “Stifler’s mom,” in the film American Pie (1999); Hilary Duff’s stepmother in A Cinderella Story (2004); Paulette, the manicurist in Legally Blonde (2001) and its sequel; the voice of Aunt Fanny in the animated feature Robots (2005); for her role in The Secret Life of the American Teenager as Betty; and for her regular role in the NBC sitcom Joey as Joey’s agent, Bobbie Morganstern. She is also a regular actor in Christopher Guest’s mockumentary films, including Best in Show (2000). Coolidge is an alumna of The Groundlings, an improv and sketch comedy troupe based in Los Angeles, CA. Currently she has a supporting role in “Two Broke Girls” as Sophie.