RICHMOND, Va. — Seeing her son Finn deliver a message about heart health among his peers is a moment Kelly Blumenthal says fills her own heart, but moments can change quickly.
"This year he had his first 911 episode on school campus in August. And then he had two seizures in September at school and on of them required a 911 call with an ambulance leaving the school," Blumenthal said.
Its why she along with nonprofits like the American Heart Association and State Lawmakers were pushing hard to pass Senate Bill 181 last year.
The bill had bipartisan support and would have established a Cardiac Emergency Response Plan across all Virginia schools.
The plan is a measure similar to a fire or tornado drill that would require all people within a school building to know what to do when someone is experiencing a cardiac emergency.
"Someone knows where to find an AED, where to take them, but it also requires schools to coordinate with local EMS so that EMS knows where to arrive on school property to make sure they shorten that response time," American Heart Association State Government Relations Director Gonzalo Aida explained.
But that bill died in committee.
"Just knowing that we were right there is very frustrating," Blumenthal said.
It was a legal demise that Blumenthal believes not only puts her son more at risk, but also otherwise healthy students and staff who may fall victim to an unexpected cardiac emergency.
"In general it could happen to anyone. You just never know," Blumenthal said.
That's why the AHA and lawmakers gathered at the General Assembly Thursday morning, drumming up support to avoid a repeat of last year by reintroducing legislation to establish a Cardiac Emergency Response Plan.
"The Virginia Nursing Association, the Virginia Athletic Trainers Association, they're all supporting this bill," Aida said.
It's this additional support that Aida believes will help make this bill become law.
"So that way no matter where you go to school, whether you teach, or you're a student or you're an athlete playing at that school, your circumstances or your likelihood of being saved isn't reduced by where you are," Aida said.
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