February Newsletter

A 501c3 Certified Non-Profit Organization

February 2022 Monthly Newsletter

Brandl Motors Donation

Gary Posch is the co-owner of Brandl Motors, a car dealership located in Little Falls, MN. Gary and his partner, Joe Sexton, bought Brandl Motors in 1999, back when it was previously a dirt parking lot, and a pole shed. Gary and Joe sat down with the previous owner in a bar for pizza and beer, while the owner wrote on a napkin his conditions. The deal went through and Gary and Joe became the new owners. The previous dealership sold 12 new vehicles a year, Brandl Motors now sells over 1,200 new vehicles each year. Gary has a close-to-home experience that lead him to want to work with Advocates For Health to place AEDs in Outdoor Smart Monitored Cabinets.

Gary was riding his bike in a fundraising bike event for law enforcement 7 years ago. In the final stretch, he gave it everything he had and went into Sudden Cardiac Arrest. Joe, who was with him at the event, rushed him to the E.R. where he underwent surgery and was saved. Days prior to the event he had a doctor's appointment where he received a clean bill of health. Little did he know a few days later this life-changing event would happen. His story truly speaks to the fact that Sudden Cardiac Arrest can happen anywhere to anyone. Gary says he is one of the “good stories,” many people aren’t so lucky, especially at his age he says. His father has also had multiple heart attacks so he knows the effects of heart disease. This is why Gary believes making AEDs accessible is so important. Gary learned about the project Rich Feneis and Joel Vogel were working on, placing AEDs outdoors in Smart Monitored Cabinets, and wanted to get on board. Gary and Joe decided their dealership was the perfect place to put an AED outdoors to make it available to all community members. Gary says “we love to put our money to good use in the community we serve.” Placing AEDs is “dear to my heart,” says Gary “pun intended,” that's why Gary and Joe have donated 5 Outdoor Cardiac Restart units to place more AEDs in the central Minnesota area. Brandl Motors has decided to place a sponsor label on the AED Outdoor Smart Monitored Cabinets they are helping place. Sponsor labeling is a great option Advocates for Health offers for companies who want the benefit of placing lifesaving devices and gaining recognition for their donation. Advocates For Heath is excited to partner with great people and a great company to save more lives.

February is National Heart Month!

According to a study, only 39% of women in cardiac arrest receive CPR from strangers in public compared to 45% of men. The odds of women serving sudden cardiac arrest are 23% less than men. If a woman goes into sudden cardiac arrest, it is crucial CPR is started immediately and an AED is used quickly to help save their life!

Facts you should know about Cardiovascular Disease in Women this heart Month:

Cardiovascular disease kills more women than all forms of cancer combined and yet only 44% of women recognize that cardiovascular disease is their greatest health threat.
Among females 20 years and older, nearly 45% are living with some form of cardiovascular disease and less than 50% of women entering pregnancy in the United States have good heart health.
Cardiovascular disease is the No. 1 killer of new moms and accounts for over one-third of maternal deaths. Black women have some of the highest maternal mortality rates.
Overall, 10% to 20% of women will have a health issue during pregnancy, and high blood pressure, preeclampsia, and gestational diabetes during pregnancy greatly increase a women’s risk for developing cardiovascular disease later in life.
Going through menopause does not cause cardiovascular disease, but the approach of menopause marks a point in midlife when women's cardiovascular risk factors can accelerate, making the increased focus on health during this pivotal life stage is crucial.
Most cardiac and stroke events can be prevented through education and lifestyle changes, such as moving more, eating smart, and managing blood pressure.
51.9% of high blood pressure deaths, otherwise known as hypertension or the “silent killer,” are in women, and out of all women, 57.6% of Black females have hypertension — more than any other race or ethnicity.
While there are an estimated 4.1 million female stroke survivors living today, approximately 57.5% of total stroke deaths are in women.
Women are often less likely to receive bystander CPR because rescuers often fear accusations of inappropriate touching, sexual assault or injuring the victim.
Women continue to be underrepresented in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) fields, as well as in research. In fact, women occupy nearly half of all U.S. jobs (48%), but only 27% of jobs in STEM fields. Furthermore, only 38% of participants in clinical cardiovascular trials are women.

Facts Taken from The American Heart Association https://www.goredforwomen.org/en/about-heart-disease-in-women/facts

"Operation Round-up"

Partnership with

And

Advocates For Health

Coborn's has selected Advocates For Health as their Non-Profit partner. During the month of February, individuals can decide to ROUND UP to the next dollar when making a purchase at any local Coborn's store. ROUND UP donations will be collected throughout the month and proceeds will help place an AED Outdoor Smart Monitored Cabinets that contain lifesaving AEDs in your local communities. We are grateful and excited to partner with Coborn's to help out local communities!

Coming Soon. . . Senior Perspective Article

In March 2022 we will be featured in the Senior Perspective. Bill Vossler will be writing an article about our nonprofit and the work we do to make AEDs more accessible.