Jerusalem Basketball Club to Play in Heart Safe Arena

JERUSALEM - March 16, 2015 - PRLog -- Due to the recent donation of a lifesaving HeartSine automated external defibrillator (AED) device, the players of Hapoel Jerusalem Basketball Club in Israel and thousands of their spectators are now protected in the event of a life-threatening sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) emergency.

The donation is courtesy of an AED Grant Program sponsored by Hopey’s Heart Foundation and Shaag Medical Group, an authorized distributor of HeartSine products in Israel. The AED Grant Program provides eligible participants with AED equipment for use during SCA, a condition in which the heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops beating.

The risk of sudden cardiac arrest is up to three times greater in competitive athletes, and two-thirds of all SCA incidents in athletes take place in the sports of basketball and football, so it was no surprise that Hapoel Jerusalem Basketball Club felt the need for an AED at their arena. Well-aware of the serious and often fatal implications of SCA, the club applied to the AED Grant Program with the goal of protecting the heart safety of its players and spectators during all practices and games.

“Sudden cardiac arrest is a leading cause of death among young athletes,” says Tina Charles, Hopey’s Heart Foundation Founder. “As an athlete who plays for the WNBA’s New York Liberty team in the United States and for the Fenerbahce basketball club in Istanbul, Turkey, I know first-hand about SCA and the avoidable tragedies that can happen when an AED is not present. I am driven to help in the fight against sudden cardiac arrest fatalities by placing AEDs in as many locations as I can.”

“As a professional basketball player myself, I am very excited to have our foundation’s first international AED donation go to Hapoel Jerusalem Basketball Club in Israel. It was important for us to extend our AED Grant Program to the global community in order to educate and protect people from life-threatening sudden cardiac arrest incidents.”

“With 84 percent of sudden cardiac arrest events taking place outside of the healthcare setting, including during sporting events, it is important for all sports teams and public places to have an automated external defibrillator on hand in the event of a sudden cardiac arrest,” said Eyal Greenbaum, Chief Executive Officer of Shaag Medical Group.

The club has strategically placed the HeartSine AED within close proximity to players and spectators, as for every minute defibrillation is delayed during SCA, the victim’s chance of survival decreases by seven to ten percent. After 10 minutes, typical survival rates drop to zero. The ultra-light and durable HeartSine AED will also accompany the team during travel games.

“We are very grateful and thankful for this donation. The HeartSine automated external defibrillator is another step towards the safety and wellbeing of our fans, players, and staff," said Guy Harel, CEO & General Manager of Hapoel "Bank Yahav" Jerusalem Basketball Club.

HeartSine, Shaag Medical Group, and Hopey’s Heart Foundation congratulate Hapoel Jerusalem Basketball Club on their HeartSine samaritan® PAD 350P.

In order to apply to the AED Grant Program, applicants are required to be a nonprofit organization and need to complete a 500-word application addressing their need for an AED. Since the Grant Program’s launch in 2013, Hopey’s Heart Foundation has placed 133 AED packages in the United States, the Middle East, and Europe.

About SCA

Sudden Cardiac Arrest is a condition in which the heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops beating, causing blood to stop flowing to the brain and other vital organs. SCA happens to people of all ages, including children, and is often fatal if not treated within minutes. CPR alone will not restart the heart, so the American Heart Association and ERC recommend CPR combined with early defibrillation (within three to five minutes) for the best outcome.

SCA claims more than seven million lives annually and occurs abruptly and without warning.

About HeartSine Technologies

HeartSine Technologies, a world leader in personal and public access defibrillators, advances the deployment of life-saving defibrillation therapy for the treatment of Sudden Cardiac Arrest in non-traditional areas of care.

Designed for use in public areas, the company’s entire line of Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) products leverages its proprietary, clinically advanced SCOPE technology to optimize the administration of life-saving treatment.

The company’s flagship product line, the HeartSine samaritan PAD (Public Access Defibrillator), is IP56 rated for durability and exceptional reliability to meet the unique environmental demands of public use. Its industry-leading warranty and innovative battery/electrode Pad-Pak combine to give the samaritan PAD defibrillators the lowest total cost of ownership. HeartSine is active in over 70 countries worldwide in a wide range of environments, including commercial aircraft, military and shipping facilities, manufacturing plants, offices, schools and sports clubs.

HeartSine is based in Belfast, Northern Ireland and Newtown, Pennsylvania. To learn how a HeartSine AED can save lives, please visit www.heartsine.com and follow HeartSine on Facebook and Twitter.

About Hopey’s Heart Foundation

The Hopey’s Heart Foundation was founded to prevent Sudden Cardiac Arrest from claiming the lives of promising student athletes like Wes Leonard. HHF was formed in memory of Tina Charles’ late aunt Maureen “Hopey” Vaz. The organization is committed to providing AEDs nationally for the prevention of heart and other injuries in student and amateur athletes through the provision of health education and medical equipment in schools, community and recreational centers. The Hopey’s Heart Foundation is committed to improving sports safety and raising awareness of Sudden Cardiac Arrest throughout the country.

To learn more about Hopey’s Heart Foundation and the AED Grant Program, please visit www.hopeysheart.org.