Super Bowl XL will be
played Feb. 5 in Detroit
played Feb. 5 in Detroit
Philips Announces Sponsorship of Living Heart Foundation's Heart Screenings for Student Athletes and Former NFL Players
January 31, 2006
by Barbara Kram, Editor
Detroit, Michigan, USA- Royal Philips Electronics (NYSE: PHG; AEX: PHI) is sponsoring the Living Heart Foundation (LHF), a non-profit organization dedicated to combating cardiovascular disease. LHF will screen student athletes and retired NFL players for cardiac risk as part of Super Bowl XL activities. Pre-Super Bowl events include an NFL Health Fair, cardiovascular screenings, and a Philips HeartStart defibrillator donation to the Detroit Lions Academy.
"We're excited that Philips is sponsoring our cardiovascular awareness efforts in Detroit. As a leader in diagnostic imaging, monitoring and defibrillation technology, we knew that Philips could offer student and professional athletes outstanding technology and educational materials regarding sudden cardiac arrest and the importance of having defibrillators anywhere people work, live and play," said Dr. Archie Roberts, founder of the Living Heart Foundation and a former NFL Quarterback.
Dr. Roberts created the foundation to encourage athletes to learn about the importance of early detection and aggressive management of cardiovascular disease. The Super Bowl screenings will take place with the help of Henry Ford Hospital, the Detroit Chapter of the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA), the Detroit Lions, the American College of Cardiology and other local organizations. During this year's events, the Living Heart Foundation will be showcasing information about sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), which claims more than 340,000 lives a year.
In addition to providing education about and demonstrations of HeartStart automated external defibrillators (AEDs) at the Health Fair, press conference and the NFL player screenings, Philips is donating a HeartStart defibrillator to the Detroit Lions Academy. The Detroit Lions Academy is an alternative school for sixth- and seventh-grade students. The Academy provides approximately 140 students with an exceptional educational experience they might not otherwise receive.
"Philips is honored to donate a HeartStart defibrillator to the Detroit Lions Academy. We believe that every school should be equipped with an AED in order to ensure students and staff are prepared in the event of a sudden cardiac arrest," said Deborah DiSanzo, senior vice president and general manager, cardiac systems, for Philips Medical Systems.
Defibrillators treat the most common result of sudden cardiac arrest, ventricular fibrillation, which is an electrical malfunction of the heart that causes it to beat erratically rather than pump in a normal rhythm. Fewer than five percent of sudden cardiac arrest victims survive, largely because defibrillators do not get to them in time. For each minute that passes before defibrillation therapy reaches a victim, the chance for survival decreases by about 10 percent. After 10 minutes, few attempts at resuscitation are successful.
The American Heart Association (AHA) estimates that 40,000 additional lives could be saved annually in the U.S. alone if defibrillators were more widely available and could reach victims more quickly.
About the LHF Super Bowl Programs
On Sunday, January 29th an NFL health fair was held to provide information and educational materials on HeartStart defibrillators, and as well as demonstrations of the products.
On Thursday and Friday, February 2nd and 3rd from 7:30 am-3:00 pm, the cardiovascular screening event for retired NFL players will take place at Ford Field. This two-day event will evaluate approximately 60 athletes and test them with electrocardiograms (ECGs) and carotid vascular ultrasounds.
For more information about Philips HeartStart Defibrillators, please visit the Philips website at: www.philips.com/heartstart.
About Living Heart Foundation
The Living Heart Foundation (LHF) is a nonprofit organization under IRC 501 (c) (3), funded initially by grants through the Edison Foundation, Pfizer and private donations. The LHF was established by Arthur J. Roberts, M.D. in April 2001 to combat cardiovascular disease (CVD) and provide health risk stratification with early lifestyle intervention for cardiac, pulmonary, metabolic, nutritional, exercise, and behavioral conditions identified and improved by on-site health screening, tracking, and website-generated programs.
About Royal Philips Electronics
Royal Philips Electronics of the Netherlands (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHI) is one of the world's biggest electronics companies and Europe's largest, with sales of $37.7 billion (EUR 30.4 billion) in 2005. With activities in the three interlocking domains of healthcare, lifestyle and technology and 159,200 employees in more than 60 countries, it has market leadership positions in medical diagnostic imaging and patient monitoring, color television sets, electric shavers, lighting and silicon system solutions. News from Philips is located at www.philips.com/newscenter.
"We're excited that Philips is sponsoring our cardiovascular awareness efforts in Detroit. As a leader in diagnostic imaging, monitoring and defibrillation technology, we knew that Philips could offer student and professional athletes outstanding technology and educational materials regarding sudden cardiac arrest and the importance of having defibrillators anywhere people work, live and play," said Dr. Archie Roberts, founder of the Living Heart Foundation and a former NFL Quarterback.
Dr. Roberts created the foundation to encourage athletes to learn about the importance of early detection and aggressive management of cardiovascular disease. The Super Bowl screenings will take place with the help of Henry Ford Hospital, the Detroit Chapter of the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA), the Detroit Lions, the American College of Cardiology and other local organizations. During this year's events, the Living Heart Foundation will be showcasing information about sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), which claims more than 340,000 lives a year.
In addition to providing education about and demonstrations of HeartStart automated external defibrillators (AEDs) at the Health Fair, press conference and the NFL player screenings, Philips is donating a HeartStart defibrillator to the Detroit Lions Academy. The Detroit Lions Academy is an alternative school for sixth- and seventh-grade students. The Academy provides approximately 140 students with an exceptional educational experience they might not otherwise receive.
"Philips is honored to donate a HeartStart defibrillator to the Detroit Lions Academy. We believe that every school should be equipped with an AED in order to ensure students and staff are prepared in the event of a sudden cardiac arrest," said Deborah DiSanzo, senior vice president and general manager, cardiac systems, for Philips Medical Systems.
Defibrillators treat the most common result of sudden cardiac arrest, ventricular fibrillation, which is an electrical malfunction of the heart that causes it to beat erratically rather than pump in a normal rhythm. Fewer than five percent of sudden cardiac arrest victims survive, largely because defibrillators do not get to them in time. For each minute that passes before defibrillation therapy reaches a victim, the chance for survival decreases by about 10 percent. After 10 minutes, few attempts at resuscitation are successful.
The American Heart Association (AHA) estimates that 40,000 additional lives could be saved annually in the U.S. alone if defibrillators were more widely available and could reach victims more quickly.
About the LHF Super Bowl Programs
On Sunday, January 29th an NFL health fair was held to provide information and educational materials on HeartStart defibrillators, and as well as demonstrations of the products.
On Thursday and Friday, February 2nd and 3rd from 7:30 am-3:00 pm, the cardiovascular screening event for retired NFL players will take place at Ford Field. This two-day event will evaluate approximately 60 athletes and test them with electrocardiograms (ECGs) and carotid vascular ultrasounds.
For more information about Philips HeartStart Defibrillators, please visit the Philips website at: www.philips.com/heartstart.
About Living Heart Foundation
The Living Heart Foundation (LHF) is a nonprofit organization under IRC 501 (c) (3), funded initially by grants through the Edison Foundation, Pfizer and private donations. The LHF was established by Arthur J. Roberts, M.D. in April 2001 to combat cardiovascular disease (CVD) and provide health risk stratification with early lifestyle intervention for cardiac, pulmonary, metabolic, nutritional, exercise, and behavioral conditions identified and improved by on-site health screening, tracking, and website-generated programs.
About Royal Philips Electronics
Royal Philips Electronics of the Netherlands (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHI) is one of the world's biggest electronics companies and Europe's largest, with sales of $37.7 billion (EUR 30.4 billion) in 2005. With activities in the three interlocking domains of healthcare, lifestyle and technology and 159,200 employees in more than 60 countries, it has market leadership positions in medical diagnostic imaging and patient monitoring, color television sets, electric shavers, lighting and silicon system solutions. News from Philips is located at www.philips.com/newscenter.