What is a Living for Zachary HeartBeats Gala?

What is a Living for Zachary HeartBeats Gala?

The HeartBeats Gala is a two-day annual event in Dallas, TX held during February, American Heart Month. Proceeds from the HeartBeats Gala benefits Living for Zachary (L4Z) whose mission is to raise awareness of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) in youth. In three short years, the HeartBeats Gala has attracted more than 2,500 attendees, 50 corporate/private sponsors and has raised more than $1 million.

The first event is the HeartBeats Health Fair which is a free event offered to the general public to learn more about their heart health. Each year the HeartBeats Health Fair offers free Living for Zachary Heart Screenings for youth ages 12-22 – includes an echocardiogram, electrocardiogram and blood pressure check, free health tests to determine your personal health numbers, free medical advice from a board of nationally-recognized physicians, CPR and Automated External Defibrillator (AED) awareness demonstrations, booths hosted by world-renowned medical manufacturers and wellness companies and heart healthy cooking presentation and tasting with free food and drinks. In 2013, Living for Zachary received a proclamation from the Dallas Mayor, Michael Rawlings, stating that Friday, February 15, 2013 is ‘Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Day’.

The second event is the HeartBeats Gala which is a black tie affair offering cocktails, fine dining, live and silent auction, and live music.  In 2013, a wine pull was added to the night’s events to provide attendees the opportunity to purchase fine wines donated from the cellars of top wine connoisseurs. Every year, the HeartBeats Gala hosts approximately 1,000 business and community leaders, physicians and members of the medical community and strong L4Z supporters.

2011
HeartBeats Gala: Bright Lights, Broadway Nights
February 19, 2011
Marriott Plano at Legacy Town Center
Honarary Chairs:  Mark and Janet Valentine

2012
HeartBeats Gala: A Tribute to Motown – February 18, 2012
Education Forum – February 17, 2012
Omni Dallas Hotel
Honorary Chairs: Dr. David and Susan Brown
Mark and Janet Valentine

2013
HeartBeats Gala: Unforgettable – February 16, 2013
Omni Dallas Hotel
Honorary Chairs: Mac and Stephanie Brink
Dr. David and Susan Brown
Education Forum – February 15, 2013
Omni Dallas Hotel
Honorary Chairs: Mark Gonzales

2014
HeartBeats Gala – February 8, 2014
Hilton Anatole Hotel
Honorary Chairman: Brian Ellard
Education Forum – February 7, 2014
The Heart Hospital Baylor Plano
Honorary Chairs: Mark Gonzales and Judy Daust

2015
HeartBeats Gala – February 28, 2015
Hilton Anatole Hotel
Honorary Chairmen: Ches Williams and Richard Baker
Education Forum – February 20, 2015
The Heart Hospital Baylor Plano
Honorary Chairs: Mark and Judy Gonzales

2016
HeartBeats Gala- February 13, 2016
Hilton Anatole Hotel
Honorary Chairs: Brian and Ornella Ellard
Physician Chairs: Dr. Bruce and Erin Gordon
HeartBeats Health Fair- February 4, 2016
Children’s Medical Center Plano

2015 HeartBeats Gala is Approaching

The Living for Zachary HeartBeats Gala is a two-day annual event in Dallas, TX held during February, American Heart Month. Proceeds from the HeartBeats Gala benefits Living for Zachary (L4Z) whose mission is to raise awareness of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) in youth. In three short years, the HeartBeats Gala has attracted more than 2,500 attendees, 50 corporate/private sponsors and has raised more than $1 million.

The first event is the Education Forum which is a free event offered to the general public to learn more about their heart health. Each year the Education Forum offers free Living for Zachary Heart Screenings for youth ages 12-22 – includes an echocardiogram, electrocardiogram and blood pressure check, free health tests to determine your personal health numbers, free medical advice from a board of nationally-recognized physicians, CPR and Automated External Defibrillator (AED) awareness demonstrations, booths hosted by world-renowned medical manufacturers and wellness companies and heart healthy cooking presentation and tasting with free food and drinks. In 2013, Living for Zachary received a proclamation from the Dallas Mayor, Michael Rawlings, stating that Friday, February 15, 2013 is ‘Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Day’.

The second event is the HeartBeats Gala which is a black tie affair offering cocktails, fine dining, live and silent auction, and live music.  In 2013, a wine pull was added to the night’s events to provide attendees the opportunity to purchase fine wines donated from the cellars of top wine connoisseurs. Every year, the HeartBeats Gala hosts approximately 1,000 business and community leaders, physicians and members of the medical community and strong L4Z supporters.

The NFL and Pink Awareness - Let's get some Red in there!

We are very grateful that the National Football League (NFL) participates in the Think Pink or Breast Cancer Awareness programs. Breast Cancer is a horrible disease that can take any of our loved ones at any time - just like Sudden Cardiac Arrest. The difference is - SCA can strike with any warning, no symptom.

The NFL has a complete website for the NFL's support of Breast Cancer - http://www.nfl.com/pink. Great cause and great idea with ways that you can Pledge to be a part of the Crucial Catch Day! On the NFL Breast Cancer site you can sign up for Personal screening reminders, pledge to get screened, schedule your screening and also encourage others. Great IDEA and love that the NFL is participating in something with such a great need and cause.

However - can we remember that October IS also Sudden Cardiac Awareness Month? It might be new to some that is why Living for Zachary is asking and encouraging all to help us bring SCA Awareness to the forefront and Wear RED in October too!

Sudden Cardiac Arrest's - Did you knows?

Do you know the story of Zachary Schrah?
Do you know why Karen Schrah started the non-profit organization called - Living for Zachary?
Do you know that Zach Schrah was a perfectly normal and healthy young man who had never had any medical history of heart disease?
Do you know that Zachary Schrah's life might have been saved if there had been a AED on the football field?

Listen to the story of Zach Schrah and find out why his Mother, Karen Schrah made it her mission to bring awareness to others about SCA, Sudden Cardiac Arrest.

Get Ready for October!

Sudden Cardiac Awareness is Living for Zachary's main objective. We encourage and support Heart Screening and AED use.

Living for Zachary is a non-profit organization [(501 (c) (3) 80-0410066] with a mission dedicated to saving young lives from sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). The organization was founded in honor of Zachary Schrah, who was only 16 years old when he collapsed during a high school football practice in Plano on April 2, 2009. After Zachary’s death, the Living for Zachary Organization was established to raise SCA awareness of undiagnosed heart issues in teens. 

Congress declared October "National Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month." Four years and many useless deaths later many still do not understand that SCA is different from a Heart Attack and affects more than 1,000 people every single day. 1 in 10 SCA victims survive.

In October we will be sponsoring our annual HeartBeats Run.  Go to www.Living4Zachary.org and take a look at all the wonderful events to be held throughout the day. Sign up and be a part of the Living for Zachary HeartBeats Run!

CPR - A Texas High School Graduation Requirement

This is music to Living for Zachary's ears! Now - CPR is a required course of knowledge for all high school graduates.  This means that we are another step closer in bringing Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness to all and everyone will be able to pitch in and do their part.

There is a CPR Training Kit that is easy to use and is designed for the schools. This kit contains everything that a trainer would need to train 10 plus children. This CPR training kit can be moved from one location such as the gym to another such as a cafeteria. Texas is No Doubt creating the next generation of lifesavers.

The HB 897 ensures that every single young adult graduating high school will now be equipped with the knowledge of saving a life. In June 2013 Texas Governor Rick Perry signed this into law and therefore making it possible for every single graduate to be able to save a life and make a difference. 

Is your state participating in this High School CPR Training? There is a map outlining which states are now requiring CPR for High School graduates and which states are still in the works.  (right)

Raise SCA Awareness and Save Lives!

Is your school prepared if Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) strikes a student, staff member or visitor?

Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) is one of the leading causes of death in North America killing 300,000 people each year in the U.S. alone. While SCA is more prevalent in adults, children are also victims of SCA. Even schools for young children have many adults present every day and schools serve as central gathering point within the community.

A recent study of first responders and physicians staffing school sporting events identified 21 episodes of Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) in athletes of all ages. There are a significant number of young athletes, just like Zachary Schrah who have an undetected,
or possibly an underlying heart disease that predisposes them to SCA.

Schools with Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) have better cardiac survival rates, and the good news is a SCA is survivable. This important fact is true for both students and non-students who may experience sudden cardiac arrest at a school event.

The New England Journal of Medicine studies show that when AEDs are used within the first three minutes of SCA, there is a 74 percent survival rate. More than 92 percent of individuals suffering an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest do not survive to hospital discharge. The rate of survival declines 7 percent to 10 percent for each minute defibrillation is delayed.

AEDs IN SCHOOLS: HOW?

Implementing an SCA program at your school isn’t hard, but it will take some work. The Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation has some great information about some successful school programs, check out: Building a Heart-Safe School, you will find some very helpful information. You’ll also find helpful ideas and additional information on the Living for Zachary website . We have the power and the moral responsibility – to protect the lives of our young people, our faculty members, our staff and our visitors. With simple preparation, we can save a life at school and everywhere else.

Why wait for a tragedy? Implement an SCA program at your school now. You may just save a life—and better yet, by teaching students lifesaving skills, you’ll help build a generation of citizens who are ready, willing and able to help whenever SCA strikes. At Living 4 Zachary we want to work together to eliminate preventable deaths from SCA, which continue to occur all too often.

We are not alone - find out who else is raising awareness of SCA

December 2013 marked an effort by New Jersey U.S. representative, Frank Pallone Jr.  to begin a campaign that would seek to bring SCA awareness to how prevalent sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) can be in children and to distribute information that can help parents, children and even bystanders with responding correctly during that time of need.

Pallone's tour to schools, health professionals and more is called the Cardiomyopathy Health Education, Awareness, Risk Assessment and Training in the Schools (HEART) Act, which was introduced in early 2013.

Admirably enough, Pallone Jr. isn’t standing alone. He was joined by Assemblyman Patrick Diegnan and Lisa Yue, a founding director of the Children’s Cardiomyopathy Foundation which also seeks to raise awareness of pediatric cardiomyopathy.

According to their calculations, SCA is the leading cause of death on their school properties, and after the deaths of two young students, he decided it was time to take a stand.

So being prepared and educated isn’t something that only we harp on here, it’s something that many across the globe are striving for now. What do you know more about SCA than you did a year ago? Are you prepared for its unforeseen consequences?

2014 Living for Zachary Heartbeats Gala Update and Information

Once again, the annual HeartBeats Gala is making it’s way to Dallas, Texas with proceeds benefitting Living for Zachary. The two-day event will be in it’s third year and has raised more than $1 million for sudden cardiac arrest victims and SCA awareness.

Sudden cardiac arrest is a heart condition in which blood flow halts because of a sudden stop in a heart’s normal beating. When not treated, it can be fatal within a few short minutes.

The HeartBeats Gala hosts around 2,500 attendee and over 50 sponsors, both corporate and private that have made possible education forms for the general public, heart screenings for those between the ages of 12 and 22, medical advice from nationally recognized physicians along with critical training like CPR, AED and even specific cooking demonstrations.

The black tie affair will offer live music, fine dining and cocktails as well as a silent auction that benefits the Living for Zachary cause.

Interested in learning more about the HeartBeats Gala? Visit the Living for Zachary Heartbeats Gala website and partner with a great cause to bring awareness to Sudden Cardiac Arrest -  a fatal condition that could strike you or a family member.

Words from a parent... about SCA Awareness

Working with Living for Zachary for several years, I have learned alot about Sudden Cardiac Arrest. I have learned and read about this horrible life changing event that can happen to our young people. I have encouraged my fellow adult friends to have their child's heart screened and shared Living for Zachary to everyone. Having a son, I even have felt very bonded to Karen and how Sudden Cardiac Arrest could strike my own children.

I was overjoyed when I saw that my youngest daughter's IISD Athletic Information Packet had a Sudden Cardiac Awareness Information Sheet included. I about fell over! I have been pushing this information for years and now I see finally that the school districts are taking SCA seriously.

This UIL Sudden Cardiac Awareness document details out the following:

• What is Sudden Cardiac Arrest? 
• What causes Sudden Cardiac Arrest? 
• Symptoms of Sudden Cardiac Arrest? 
• Treatment for Sudden Cardiac Arrest
• Ways to screen for Sudden Cardiac Arrest

If this UIL SCA document has been around - I have not seen it and nevertheless am thrilled to finally have some information out in my particular school district out about Sudden Cardiac Arrest.

Thank you UIL, thank you IISD for including this important information sheet on Sudden Cardiac Arrest. I am overjoyed that finally parent's will have some additional information on this event that can affect our young athletes.

Thank you Living for Zachary for bringing awareness to parents about Sudden Cardiac Arrest and how it can strike anyone at anytime, anywhere.

Kim Goldston / Mother of 3 / Irving, TX

Living for Zachary Apparel

Living for Zachary is excited to have Living for Zachary apparel to share with all. Show your support for L4Z and Sudden Cardiac Arrest by purchasing a great Living for Zachary t-shirt and or Living for Zachary Hoodie.

We have Living for Zachary lanyards, Living for Zachary tote bags, L4Z wrist bands and our decal!

With the cool weather still around, a Living for Zachary Hoodie would still be great on those colder walks at night.

If you have a special request or would like to see our L4Z logo on something, please let us know. We are always open to ideas to help raise awareness of SCA!

The Importance of Giving Thanks~

What is the importance of giving thanks? We often forget to be thankful for the many blessings in our life and being thankful will bless your life more than you know.

Giving thanks is important to show appreciation to God for what He has done for you, what He is doing and what He is going to do. Giving thanks is to open the door for even more wonderful things from the Lord. Encourage and be thankful for them. Blessings and being thankful doesn't require it to be today - be thankful for what has happened in the past or people that have walked through your life.

You always have reasons to be thankful and things in your life that you have been blessed by, there is no one without blessings. Living for Zachary would like to thank God for all the people are in the Living for Zachary family, have been in the Living for Zachary family for a time and will be in the future a part of our family fighting for our cause ~ SCA awareness. We thank you and believe truly that it "takes a village".

1 Thessalonians 5:18 "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God "

Can you be more involved?

Often times, readers of Living for Zachary and other blogs that discuss Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) and other heart related illnesses often ask how they can get involved. A student at the University of Texas at Austin, Thomas Riley, decided that he could get involved and raise SCA awareness on his campus.

Since April, Thomas and his executive team have created and helped fund an organization called Longhorn Student Cardiac Association. Their purpose statement is to "promote cardiac health awareness on the University of Texas at Austin campus and throughout the Austin,TX community".
Initiative taken by multiple students on a college campus in Austin can be instrumental in helping the general community become more aware of the symptoms and consequences of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) and other heart-related illnesses, as well as introduce a call to action.

If students can understand the urgency behind heart screening as well as how to respond in emergency situations, the lives of our family, friends and strangers can be spared.  How can you get involved?

Reflections of Motown ....

Thank you to all that attended the “HeartBeats Gala: A Tribute to Motown” this year to assist in raising awareness of Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) and promote preventative and corrective measures.

This year's Living for Zachary HeartBeats Gala had a fun and funky Motown theme with music by Goga and Limelight. The dance floor was packed!

Special Recognition to our following Sponsors:
Abbott Vascular, Advanced Heart Care, ARAMARK Healthcare, AV Commissioning, BBVA Compass, BestWork USA,BKM Total Office of Texas, Dr. Dean Cione, M.D., Duke Realty,
EFA Processing, KPMG, Legacy Heart Center, National Teachers Association, North Dallas Bank & Trust, Peak Therapy, Terumo Medical and Total Best Group

Take a look at our pictures of this wonderful night in the Gallery at www.Living4zachary.org

Thank you to all our wonderful friends, family and volunteers that assisted in making this another huge success.