The American Heart Association has concluded a three-year national campaign focused on educating students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) about hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and Hands-Only CPR. The initiative, which ended on HCM Awareness Day 2026, aimed to address the disproportionate impact of sudden cardiac death (SCD) on Black athletes and other young people.
According to the American Heart Association, HCM is the leading cause of SCD in young athletes, and it often goes undetected. The campaign combined HCM education with Hands-Only CPR training to ensure that students, athletes, and community members are prepared to respond to sudden cardiac emergencies. The Association highlights that immediate CPR can double or triple survival rates when cardiac arrest occurs.
The campaign included public service announcements in English and Spanish, on-campus CPR demonstrations, and collaborations with multicultural media platforms. A national content integration with Sybil Wilkes’ “Check In & Check Up” and the State of Black Health: Public Health and Media Symposium reached millions. Additional releases tied to HCM Awareness Day and CPR Awareness Week generated hundreds of millions of impressions.
“When students, coaches and families understand both the risks of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and how to respond immediately to sudden cardiac arrest, we create an environment where prevention and preparedness go hand in hand,” said Matthew Martinez, M.D., FAHA, FACC, an American Heart Association volunteer medical expert and co-author of the 2024 American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology Guideline for the Management of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. “By pairing evidence-based HCM education with Hands-Only CPR training, this campaign transforms awareness into lifesaving action.”
The Association engaged student-athletes and families at HBCU homecomings and rivalry games at Hampton University, Norfolk State University, Howard University, and Xavier University of Louisiana, as well as the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Basketball Tournament. Education also took place at the United Negro College Fund Leadership Conference and the Hispanic Educational Technology Services Student Experience Summit & Showcase in Puerto Rico.
The campaign also expanded the Heart Club, the Association’s student-led campus organization, to empower students as heart health ambassadors. The American Heart Association’s HCM awareness and education in athletes was made possible in part by a financial grant from the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation.
