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Project ADAM Greater Cincinnati

About Project ADAM

Project ADAM (Automated Defibrillators in Adam’s Memory) began in 1999 after the death of Adam Lemel, a 17-year-old Whitefish Bay, WI, high school student who collapsed and died while playing basketball.  Adam suffered a sudden cardiac arrest, in which ventricular fibrillation occurred, a condition in which the ventricles cannot pump blood into the body. An automated external defibrillator, or AED, could have saved his life.

Adam’s parents, Patty Lemel-Clanton and Joe Lemel, along with a childhood friend of Adam’s, collaborated with Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin to create this national program in Adam’s memory. The mission is to save lives by empowering schools and communities to be prepared for a sudden cardiac arrest.

Cincinnati Children’s Heart Institute has partnered with Project ADAM as the Greater Cincinnati affiliate.  We are working with schools in our primary care area so they can achieve a fully functioning school-based CPR-AED program, with the goal to be designated as a “Heart Safe School” by Project ADAM.

An AED is a lightweight, portable device that can be used to by non-medical individuals to deliver a shock through the chest to the heart following sudden cardiac arrest.  The device analyzes the heart's rhythm and, if needed, delivers an adequate electric shock, potentially stopping an irregular heartbeat and allowing a normal rhythm to resume.
When an AED (along with CPR) is used within the first three to five minutes of a collapse, it can triple the chance of survival.

Sudden cardiac arrest is the leading cause of sudden death in youth athletes. However, it is not limited to athletes and can occur in non-athletes as well. Around 20% of a community’s population is at a local school on any given weekday. By focusing our efforts toward schools, we are able to reach both students and adult staff, as well as visitors to the schools.

Sudden cardiac arrest is the leading cause of sudden death in youth athletes. However, it is not limited to athletes. Around 20% of a community’s population is at a local school on any given weekday. By focusing our efforts toward schools, we are able to reach not only students and adult staff, but also well as visitors to the schools who suffer a sudden cardiac arrest.

The Project ADAM Heart Safe School designation means that the school has taken all the steps necessary to safeguard the health of students.  These steps include having a written sudden cardiac arrest plan, ensuring that AEDs are available and accessible, and assembling a team of CPR/AED trained staff who conduct emergency response practice drills so they are ready to act in an emergency.

Project ADAM Greater Cincinnati will work with your school to complete the Heart Safe School Checklist and build an implementation plan to reach your goal.

Project ADAM Greater Cincinnati’s goal is to have all schools in our primary service area establish effective sudden cardiac arrest preparedness procedures to help prevent tragedies of sudden cardiac death in children.

Medical and business professionals from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital serve as team members of Project ADAM Greater Cincinnati and will help partnering schools achieve the Heart Safe School designation. We are here to answer your questions, listen to your concerns, and to provide direction to help make your CPR-AED program as efficient and effective as possible. Our partnership can provide schools with:

  • Expert knowledge regarding sudden cardiac arrest, AED technology, and relevant data.
  • Education for staff, students and families on sudden cardiac arrest.
  • Assistance with developing a cardiac emergency response plan.
  • Coordination of cardiac emergency response drills with mock scenarios.
  • Resources for CPR and AED training.
  • Assistance with developing a program budget and funding ideas to support your program.

We encourage your school to participate in this life-saving national initiative. Please contact us at projectadam@cchmc.org. 

If you are interested in becoming a Project ADAM Greater Cincinnati school or want to learn more about the program. Our team is happy to meet with you and discuss a partnership in more detail.

To get started on your Project ADAM journey with Cincinnati Children's Heart Institute, please fill out this intake form here.

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Contact us.

To get started on your Project ADAM journey with Cincinnati Children's Heart Institute, please fill out this intake form here.

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