October is upon us. While we settle into fall, many organizations take the time to sponsor Awareness months. Surely you have seen the pink receiver gloves and towels during your favorite team's NFL game. This is a great way to raise awareness!
Placing something unusual in front of fans. Using players to voice the importance of early screening. Listening to family members of players talk about being survivors.
Earlier this year, ALS got the nation stirring with their "Ice Bucket Challenge". I had kids at the gym asking me, "what is ALS?". That is the definition of raising awareness. Getting people to talk about your cause. Whether that is early detection, fundraising for prevention, or developing treatment, organizations start by spreading awareness.
In addition to Breast Cancer Awareness, October is also Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month.
At Pinnacle, we are always trying to improve our program. Improvement is not a one dimensional track. It is a goal that bursts at the seams and outward through all parts of our program. Maybe that means new equipment, or taking a customer service class, but this October it means purchasing an AED for the gym.
This item has been on my wish list for about a year now. However, after several Pinnacle families were affected by a loss in the community, it changed from a "wish list" item to a must have. The word AED is an acronym for Automated External Defibrillator.
Having an AED at the gym provides our customers and spectators the best chance of surviving the event of sudden cardiac arrest. While our intent is never to have to use this product, we can rest a little easier knowing that if someone does have an emergency cardiac event, we will be able to help.
According to AED.com,
"AEDs are used in the event of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), which is a condition in which the heart suddenly stops pumping blood and quivers eratically; this typically happens without any warning signs. The chances of surviving cardiac arrest decrease by 7-10% with every minute that passes after a person's heart stops beating. About 360,000 cases occur yearly, and a person currently has about a 5% chance of surviving an incident of cardiac arrest."
The staff at Pinnacle participated in a renewal of CPR and first aid training this summer and as part of this training learned how to operate an AED machine. I am excited to have this new item at the gym in the next week or so and look forward to being able to better serve our customers.
Some October Awareness Groups include:
AIDS Awareness Month
Adopt a Shelter Dog Month
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Bullying Prevention Month
Campaign for Healthier Babies Month
Dental Hygiene Awareness Month
Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Down Syndrome Awareness Month
Fire Prevention Month
Lupus Awareness Month
Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month
Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month