Saving the Saviors Advance Cardiac Prevention Pilot Program
To designate your gift for this project, please select
Saving the Saviors
Program for First Responders on the menu.
Funding for this program provided by
Comprehensive Heart Health Program for First Responders
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Sudden cardiac events account for around 45% of fire-fighter related deaths in the US.
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The prevalance of obesity among firefighers in one study was at 51.7%
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Traditional risk factors are valuable in identifying those at risk for CVD however there is a stated need to use nontraditonal screening such as CRP tests and Coronary Artery Calcium Scans.
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“Since firefighters are a unique occupational group who experience the highest rate of duty-related deaths due to sudden cardiac events, and who perform public safety work that may be jeopardized if they are suddenly incapacitated, the use of CAC scoring may provide information that outweighs negative factors such as the cost of the scan and exposure to radiation.”
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“According to a recent study from the Harvard School of Public Health and the Cambridge Health Alliance, police officers in the United States face a 30 to 70 times higher risk of sudden cardiac death when they’re involved in stressful situations when compared with the risks during routine or nonemergency activities.”
Program Synopsis
Our special heart health program will provide advance screenings, risk assessments and lifestyle coaching at no charge for first responders located in York County, South Carolina who meet the following criteria. The program has been developed through the collaboration of The Heart2Heart Foundation and Carolina Cardiology Associates along with health care and wellness professionals.
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Women and men, age 35 and older
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No prior history of cardiac diagnosis or event
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Cannot be pregnant or planning to become pregnant during the program
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Cannot be on insulin treatment for diabetes
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Must serve in York County with fire, police, sheriff or EMS services
Application Process
The goal of this unique program is to help identify asymptomatic women and men who may be at higher risk but who have not been diagnosed with heart disease. Through a self-assessment questionnaire, our team will select up to 30 first responders to receive the advance lab screenings, coronary artery calcium scan and inclusion in the lifestyle coaching sessions. Through the follow-up heart health review and lifestyle coaching sessions, participants will learn how to prevent and manage risk factors that lead to heart disease.
The advance screenings, risk assessment and lifestyle coaching provided at NO cost!
Watch our Information Session Video to learn more and feel free to reach out to us with any questions you may have!
Ready to find out if this program is right for you? Simply complete this form and one of our Saving the Saviors team members will contact you to schedule a discovery call to explain the program in more detail and answer any questions you may have.
What is not covered with the program:
Funding designated for the Saving the Saviors (STS) program participants will only cover advance screenings including specific labs, coronary calcium scan or the home sleep study. In some cases, our STS members can qualify for additional screenings, services or programs through the Frontline Heroes Wellness Fund. Please contact us to learn more.
The STS fund does not cover office visits, follow-up appointments, any diagnostic test, treatment, equipment associated with treatments or interventions of any kind. Should the evaluating cardiologist recommend any tests, treatment or intervention, submission of insurance or payment is the sole responsibility of the participant.
in collaboration with
SAVING THE SAVIORS DEVELOPMENT TEAM:
Sheila Caldwell, The Heart2Heart Foundation
Deb King, RN, The Heart2Heart Foundation
Debbie Hayworth, The Heart2Heart Foundation
Dr. Sushil Singhi, Carolina Cardiology Associates
Robert White, York Technical College
Randy Feltner, Battalion Fire Chief, DC Area
April Maylor, RN, Begi with Wellness
Betsey O'Brien, NAMI Piedmont Tricounty
Barbara Mlller, SC Thrives
Anni Crook, SC Thrives
Do you serve with the Fire, Police, Sheriff, EMS or Dispatch services in York County, South Carolina?
Are you at least 35 years of age with any of the following risk factors?
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Family history of heart disease
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High blood pressure
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High cholesterol
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Type 2 Diabetes or Pre-diabetes
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Overweight or Obese
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Smoker
FREE INFORMATION SESSION
Learn more about this unique program for first responders and emergency services personnel.
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WHO qualifies for the free 6-week program?
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WHAT does an advance primary prevention program offer?
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WHEN is the program available?
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WHERE will the program be offered?
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WHY should I consider participating in the program?
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HOW can you apply?
Mental Health Resources from SC Thrives and NAMI Piedmont Tri-County
Saving the Saviors Program for First Responder Personnel created in memory of Ed Holler.
It's always hard when you lose a family member or friend at a young age, no matter what the reason. It really hits home when we lose another person to heart disease. For most of us, we don't even know we have it until we have a heart attack or, worse, our family finds out after we have become another victim to it.
In 2019, we lost our friend Ed Holler at age 52 from this silent killer. Many people in our area knew Ed ... many of us called him friend. It was a shock to his family and to everyone who knew him.
But, his story did not end there. Because of Ed's premature death to a massive heart attack, his three brothers took proactive steps and each received a coronary artery calcium scan. All three were diagnosed with heart disease with one of the brothers receiving immediate intervention which prevented an impending heart attack. It is an all all too familiar story of someone who seemed otherwise healthy and fit unaware they have a potentially deadly disease. That is why we make early detection a top priority in our work.
When we were contacted by Ed's brother Dean Holler about The Heart2Heart Foundation creating a special program in his memory, we were honored that we could remember our friend in this way. When we decided to create a new program to serve our First Responders, we were incredibly grateful for the opportunity because we understand that about half of the deaths among these brave men and women are from heart disease. In addition to our signature programs, we are now launching efforts to help "save the saviors."
We are so excited to have a collaborative partnership with Carolina Cardiology Associates and we've assembled a team of dedicated health care professionals and advisors to help our program participants succeed! If we can prevent one heart attack, keep one more loved one from dying prematurely from this disease and help our first responders live healthier lives ...
it will be a tremendous way to honor Ed's life.
A special thank you to Brian Mobley for creating our Saving the Saviors logo!
left to right: Heart2Heart's Sheila Caldwell, Dean Holler (Ed's brother) with Laurabree Monday of CN2 chatting about the Saving the Saviors Program. VIEW HERE