ABOUT
Our Story
Hawaiʻi Heart Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit established in 2010, with the mission of improving cardiac arrest survival rates across the state. Our Kids Teach Kids program started it all, and has grown into two school-age programs — KIDS4CPR (K-6) and Common Sense CPR (7-12) — teaching lifesaving CPR and AED skills to keiki statewide.
OUR FOUNDERS
Sharon Maekawa · Pam Foster
Our Why
Kristin Maekawa Claudi
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. Paramedics were unable to revive her and Kristin had passed away in the hospital. 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
A 39-year-old King Kaumualiʻi 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.
