Hawaii Heart Foundation was established with the mission to improve the
cardiac arrest survival rates in Hawaii.
As a part of this foundation a program based on an innovative, age-appropriate, reality-based, technology-rich approach to teaching lifesaving CPR and AED use in schools has been designed to help turn the sudden cardiac arrest (death) statistics upside down!

On May 27, 2009, at the age of 28, Kristin Maekawa Claudi experienced a Sudden Cardiac Arrest at a local elementary School during a teachers’ meeting. None of the staff members in the meeting knew what was happening or how to help her. By the time paramedics arrived, there was nothing they could do for her. Kristin had passed away. Kristin is remembered for loving Italy and everything Italian. She loved her husband, her family, her students, and rainbows. She delighted in everything life had to offer. As a special needs teacher, Kristin enlightened her students with love, understanding, and passion. In return they adored her. She is greatly missed by everyone who knew her.

BRIANA

On Sept 23, 2019, Briana, a 39-year-old King Kaumuali`i Elementary School special education teacher, and other staff members were in a planning day meeting. As they sat down to lunch, Briana collapsed at the table and stopped responding. She was frozen, not breathing and not moving. Staff immediately called 911, the counselor grabbed the close by AED and the VP started chest compressions.  The AED shocked Briana twice before the local EMS arrived and she was transported to Wilcox hospital and then flown over to Oahu for further care where she made a full recovery.
 

Briana is alive today because her school was not only annually trained by Kauai Firefighters, but her school had multiple AEDs on campus and one was close by and ready for use.