$2.5 million grant helps Illinois become seventh HeartRescue state

CHICAGO - August 22, 2012. Governor Pat Quinn and the University of Illinois Hospital Health Sciences System today launched Illinois Heart Rescue, a statewide all-volunteer effort to more than double survival from sudden cardiac arrests. The Medtronic Foundation provided a $2.5 million grant to the University of Illinois Hospital to coordinate Illinois Heart Rescue. Governor Quinn recently signed a new law to increase CPR training.

"Learning CPR is something simple we can all do to help save lives, whether you're on the field, in the classroom or at home," Governor Quinn said. "Illinois Heart Rescue will educate the public about heart health and help give those experiencing cardiac arrest a greater chance of survival."

Illinois Heart Rescue's community initiative will aim to improve bystander CPR in Illinois through free instruction. The effort is designed to more than double survival from sudden cardiac arrests by strengthening three key links in the chain of survival: bystander CPR, pre-hospital resuscitation by EMS, and post-arrest care through hospital interventions. In the first moments, a knowledgeable bystander who can begin CPR can save a life. At today's event, bystander-performed, chest-compression-only CPR was demonstrated.

The program's all-volunteer leadership team represents an unusually broad collaboration among physicians, health professionals, community organizations, hospitals, EMS systems, fire departments and governmental agencies across the state.

Evidenced-based best practices for pre-hospital care will be taught to 911 dispatchers, EMTs, firefighters, and paramedics in simulator training at the Chicago Fire Academy Simulation Center and later at simulation centers in Peoria and Evanston. The Illinois Heart Rescue team will use social media, multi-lingual and culturally-sensitive messaging, athletic events and community health fairs to reach the diverse population of Illinois.

Leaders in the initiative include the Chicago Fire Department, Chicago EMS System, the Illinois Department of Public Health, the Chicago Cardiac Arrest Resuscitation Education Service (CCARES) and the University of Illinois Hospital and Health Sciences System. Other grant partners include the American Heart Association, the Chicago Cubs, the American Red Cross, the Chicago Department of Public Health and many community organizations that include local health clinic systems and neighborhood groups.

Governor Quinn signed House Bill 5114 earlier this summer, which allows middle school students to learn CPR and AED skills in the classroom. In 2011, he also signed legislation providing legal protection to good Samaritans who performed CPS in an emergency, which will encourage citizens to use this critical skill to save a life.

PARTNER QUOTES

"In sudden cardiac arrest, a few seconds of time can make a lifetime of difference," said Dr. Terry Vanden Hoek, professor and chair of emergency medicine at the University of Illinois Hospital, who will lead the project. "The unprecedented collaboration from so many Illinois institutions along with the opportunity Medtronic Foundation has provided us will allow us to help the people of Illinois and serve as a model for other states."

"Currently, one of the missing links in the 'chain of survival' is data," said Dr. Joseph Weber, Chicago EMS director, emergency-medicine physician at Stroger Cook County Hospital and assistant professor at Rush Medical College.  "This grant will allow us to quantify cardiac-arrest survival across the state. We can then use this data to direct quality improvement initiatives and track progress on our ultimate goal of improving cardiac arrest survival in Illinois."

"We will bring the science of cardiac-arrest resuscitation to the streets through simulation training," said Dr. Eric Beck, EMS Medical Director for Chicago and assistant professor of medicine at the University of Chicago. "Simple things like high quality, uninterrupted chest compressions and limiting patient movement during cardiac arrest have been shown to dramatically improve survival."

"If you see someone collapse, the message is simple: Call 911. Start doing chest compressions, 100 beats per minute and two inches deep. Call for someone to bring an AED and use it. These actions alone can save someone's life," said Dr. Amer Aldeen, assistant professor of emergency medicine at Northwestern University, co-director of CCARES and Illinois Heart Rescue community liaison. "We plan to spread the message of bystander CPR and AEDs throughout Illinois, especially in our relatively underserved urban and rural areas."

"We are especially pleased to partner with Illinois Heart Rescue in this important initiative to eliminate disparities in sudden cardiac arrest and to improve cardiac arrest outcomes in our state, particularly in Chicago and underserved rural areas of the state," said Dr. Derek J. Robinson, executive director, Illinois Hospital Association's Quality Care Institute.  Almost 30 hospitals throughout Illinois will collaborate initially to collect outcome data and champion state-of-the-art care for patients post-resuscitation.

Moline - Come as your favorite character to the Make-A-Wish Illinois Walk & Run for Wishes on Saturday, September 15 at Green Valley Sports Complex in Moline and you can make wishes come true for local children with life-threatening medical conditions. Individuals and teams can participate and raise funds while enjoying the whimsical nature of the event. General Registration is $25 for adults, $15 for children ages 12 and under, and $95 per family. Following September 1^st, an additional $5 will be added to each registration fee. Early registration also guarantees that participants will receive a custom event t-shirt.

Stepping off from Green Valley Sports Complex in Moline at 9:30 a.m, the event includes a 5K fun run and a leisurely 1 mile walk around the riverfront area. Refreshments, music and other entertainment will round out the celebration, with prizes awarded for top fundraisers as well as best youth and adult costumes. Additional details and registration are available online at www.walkrunwish.org. There is also an opportunity for "Virtual Walkers" who are participants who do not plan to attend the walk event, but want to fundraise to help make wishes come true. Virtual Walkers who raise over $100 for Make-A-Wish will receive a free Make-A-Wish t-shirt! Presented by Trinity Iowa Health System, all funds raised at Walk & Run for Wishes will benefit Make-A-Wish Illinois.

"We're excited to present this community event that is not only fun for people of all ages and abilities, but one that really makes a difference for the courageous kids we work with every day," said Janet Bantz Glavin, Community Relations Manager for Make-A-Wish Illinois.

This year, Make-A-Wish Illinois will grant wishes to more than 700 kids in Illinois who are living with life-threatening medical conditions such as cancer, renal disease, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Wishes can be a turning point in a child's battle against illness and help children feel stronger, more energetic and more willing and able to comply with treatment protocols. Additionally, wishes empower children to take control over an aspect of their lives while helping them feel less isolated and more self-confident.

About Make-A-Wish

Make-A-Wish Illinois grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich their lives with hope, strength and joy. Since being founded locally in 1985, the chapter has granted more than 10,000 wishes and continues its mission to share the power of a wish^® with special children across the state.  For information, call 312.602.WISH (9474) or (309) 637-1659.

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Iowa City, IA - Riverside Theatre, Iowa City's resident professional theatre, opens its 2012-2013 Season on Friday, September 7th with the explosive and acidly comical True West by Sam Shepard, directed by Ron Clark.

True West is about two brothers with a score to settle. Austin, an ambitious Hollywood screenwriter working on a potential million-dollar movie project and Lee, a desert drifter and a thief with a compulsion for six-packs and toasters, are reunited at their mother's home while she is away and a struggle for dominance ensues.

"True West is sibling rivalry on steroids," said Director Ron Clark. "The two brothers could not be more different. They both despise and envy each other, which I think is always the foundation of sibling rivalry."

True West is considered to be a modern American classic and Shepard is revered as one of the greatest living playwrights of our time.

True West features Iowa City actors Tim Budd as Austin and Sean Christopher Lewis as Lee.  Scot West of Chicago returns to Riverside as Saul Kimmer and Riverside Theatre Artistic Director Jody Hovland rounds out the cast as Mom.

"They're the A-Team that brings the play to life," Clark said. "It demands virtroso acting that can plumb the mysteries of the relationships. The turnabouts come fast and furious; the action is explosive."

True West also features scenic design by Shawn Ketchum Johnson, lighting design by Courtney Schmitz Watson, costume design by Osean Perez, and sound design by Drew Bielinski. Jason Tipsword choreographs the fight work.

Since the scenic design includes numerous toasters, Riverside Theatre is seeking donations of two-slot, old-school toasters (working and non-working) for the production. Donated toasters will not be returned. Toasters may be dropped off at the Box Office at 213 N. Gilbert St, Noon - 4 p.m., Monday - Friday.

Tickets for True West, September 7 - September 30, are $15-$28 with discounts available for those over 60, those under 30, and youth. $15 students rush tickets are available on a first come first served basis 20 minutes before curtain. Tickets are available by phone at (319) 338-7672, online at www.riversidetheatre.org or in person at the Riverside Theatre Box Office, located at 213 N. Gilbert St., Iowa City, IA.

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Photo information:

From left: Sean Christopher Lewis and Tim Budd in True West at Riverside Theatre, September 7 - September 30. Photo by Bob Goodfellow.

Performance Schedule

Friday, September 7 at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, September 8 at 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, September 9 at 2 p.m.*

Thursday, September 13 at 7:30 p.m.

Friday, September 14 at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, September 15 at 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, September 16 at 2 p.m.

Thursday, September 20 at 7:30 p.m.

Friday, September 21 at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, September 22 at 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, September at 23 at 2 p.m.

Thursday, September 27 at 7:30 p.m.

Friday, September 28 at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, September 29 at 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, September 30 at 2 p.m.

*Talkback Sunday, September 9 - Stay after this performance to chat with company members and gain behind-the-scenes info about the play. Free and open to the public.

Upcoming Events

Season-Opening Open House - Sunday, August 26, 2 - 4 p.m.

See behind the scenes before the season starts at the Riverside Theatre Open House. Start out in the Scene Shop, where sets for all the productions are built, and take a tour that includes the backstage area, the dressing room, and more. Refreshments will be provided. Enter the Scene Shop directly via the alley that runs behind the building/parking lot or go to the lobby. For more info, call 319-338-7672.

True West Thursday Theatre Talk - August 30, 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.

In Sam Shepard's True West, dualities abound; there are two brothers, one a city guy, the other coming out of the desert; one is an upwardly mobile screenwriter in Hollywood, the other a drifter and a thief. But gradually they switch roles, and, indeed, in a number of well-known productions the leading actors have alternated as Austin and Lee. Join Miriam Gilbert and Harry Stecopoulos, University of Iowa Department of English, as they discuss Shepard's play and its vision of America.