The American Heart Association campaign equips participants with CPR education while raising funds to support research and local impact initiatives
According to the American Heart Association, a relentless force changing the future of health for everyone everywhere, approximately 436,000 Americans die from cardiac arrest each year — most often outside a hospital. Bystander CPR can double or triple a cardiac arrest victim’s chance of survival, yet fewer than half receive it, highlighting a critical gap in community preparedness. To support the Association’s efforts to enhance CPR readiness and build a community of lifesavers in Vermont, community members gathered at the Vermont Heart Walk™ on June 20 at Delta Dental Diamond at Centennial Field, raising over $40,000 and learning lifesaving CPR skills.
This year’s Heart Walk brought together heart disease and stroke survivors, participants from local companies and other community members to learn the lifesaving skills of Hands-Only CPR, celebrate local survivors and support the mission of the Association.
“In a heartbeat, you could be the difference,” said Dan Werme, American Heart Association volunteer chair of the Vermont Heart Walk and regional president of NBT Bank. “By equipping more people with the skills needed to save a life, we’re working toward creating a culture where every home has someone confident and prepared to respond when it matters most. That’s extraordinary.”
This year’s top fundraising companies included UVM Health Network, Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont and NBT Bank.
“Our team is proud to support this important mission,” said Minaz Mawani, postdoctoral associate of the Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont. “Knowing that the dollars we raised will help train more people in CPR and support research that saves lives makes us feel like we are truly making a difference in our community, and we’re grateful to be part of something so meaningful.”
Additionally, thanks to the American Heart Association’s advocacy efforts, the state budget bill, H.951, will include $150,000 in next year’s budget to help schools implement cardiac emergency response plans (CERPs). This critical investment will support the purchase of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and provide CPR and AED training for school staff and students, helping ensure schools are prepared to respond quickly in a cardiac emergency. Building on last year’s requirement that schools and athletic programs adopt CERPs, this funding brings Vermont one step closer to creating safer learning environments where every second counts and reinforces the same goal of the Heart Walk: equipping more people with the skills and confidence to take action and save lives.
According to the Association’s 2024 CPR Perceptions Survey, 39% of respondents report feeling “extremely confident” or “very confident” when asked about their ability to perform CPR — an increase from 33% in 2021, which equates to approximately 17.7 million more adults highly confident in their CPR skills. However, 61% of respondents still do not report high levels of confidence to act during a cardiac emergency, underscoring the critical need for continued CPR training and awareness.
Heart Walk is the Association’s largest community-facing initiative, reaching more than 10 million people nationwide each year. Through fundraising, community education and corporate engagement, Heart Walk aims to enhance CPR training accessibility, bolster bystander preparedness, increase funding for cardiovascular research and drive equitable health for all people.
The Vermont Heart Walk is locally sponsored by NBT Bank. To learn Hands-Only CPR, donate or register for future Heart Walk events, visit Heart.org/VTHeartWalk.