Boulder, CO, December 10, 2018, 10:00am Starting Hearts, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Avon, CO, and the Beta Gamma Chapter of the Alpha Phi sorority at the University of Colorado Boulder have announced the completion of a Memo of Understanding to cooperate in the pursuit of a college affiliate program to address women’s heart health and sudden cardiac arrest on campus and in the community.
The agreement calls for the creation of a sustainable, long-term program to prepare citizens to confidently act as first responders to provide early care while professional medical personnel are enroute. Starting Hearts’ personnel will work with the sorority’s membership in education, defibrillator placement, and community outreach events. The partners will work to create a replicable program to be extended to other college campuses across the nation where Alpha Phi chapters reside.
“We are so excited to add the UC Boulder chapter of Alpha Phi as our third Alpha Phi affiliate. These dedicated and enthusiastic young women will contribute greatly to their mission to advance women’s heart health and our mission to save precious lives as they pursue their college careers,” stated Lynn Blake, founder of Starting Hearts and a cardiac arrest survivor. “Working together to empower these women with leadership and lifesaving skills, with the knowledge and confidence to save lives, and with participation in the communities where they live, study, and work, will have a profound impact on positive outcomes for many years to come.”
Pia Rinde, VP of Member Education stated, “The Beta Gamma Chapter of Alpha Phi is very excited to forge a new partnership with Starting Hearts to promote the heart health education and CPR and DEFIB training of the Colorado community. Our sisterhood strives to give back to those in the community who help support women’s heart health, as heart disease is the number one killer of women in the United States. We are grateful to assist Starting Hearts and are excited to see our own sisters become CPR certified in order to help combat long term damage caused by sudden cardiac arrest."
