One Life Saved.
A Mission Set in Motion.
Starting Hearts was born from a real Sudden Cardiac Arrest survival and built around a single, powerful conviction: when ordinary citizens are equipped with CPR skills and defibrillators, more lives can be saved.
Prepare More People to Act When a Heart Stops.
Starting Hearts empowers citizens, organizations, and communities to improve survival outcomes for Sudden Cardiac Arrest victims through three foundational commitments:
EDUCATE
Provide clear, hands-on, and accessible CPR and AED education tailored for adults, schools, and workplaces.
EQUIP
Expand public access to Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) and ensure devices are maintained and ready to deploy.
ACTIVATE
Build resilient community networks where everyday citizens have the confidence and willingness to respond before emergency services arrive.
Starting Hearts Begins in 2010.
In 2010, personal advocacy transformed into a dedicated nonprofit organization. Starting Hearts was formally founded in Colorado with a mission to save lives through education and public defibrillator placement.
Taking Lifesaving Skills into the Community.
As Starting Hearts grew, our programs moved directly into community centers, classrooms, and public events.
To reach wider audiences, Starting Hearts developed creative outreach initiatives — such as the Heart Rod, a decommissioned transit bus creatively transformed into a mobile CPR/AED learning center that brought hands-on training directly to schools and community gatherings.
Over time, our educational offerings matured into age-tailored K-12 school curricula, adult workshops, and comprehensive Red Cross certified training courses designed for workplace leaders and safety coordinators.
The Mission Keeps Moving Forward.
Key milestones shaping Starting Hearts' evolution from a single lifesaving moment into a comprehensive preparedness platform:
Starting Hearts is Founded
Starting Hearts is formally established in Colorado as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, dedicated to teaching CPR, expanding public AED access, and empowering everyday citizens as early responders.
Alpha Phi Collaboration
Starting Hearts joins Alpha Phi in supporting women's heart health education, delivering Call.Push.Shock.™ CPR training and awareness initiatives to collegiate chapters nationwide.
CALL.PUSH.SHOCK.™ Trademark
Starting Hearts reaches an important brand milestone as the founder officially trademarks CALL.PUSH.SHOCK.™, establishing a clear, three-part emergency action framework for the public.
Smart Heart Sports Coalition
Starting Hearts announces membership in the NFL Smart Heart Sports Coalition, collaborating with national organizations to advocate for cardiac emergency response preparedness across school sports.
Preparing Communities Every Day
Starting Hearts continues to expand hands-on classes, age-tailored K-12 school curricula, and accessible public defibrillator programs so that more people are ready when seconds count.
CALL. PUSH. SHOCK.™
In 2020, Starting Hearts reached a major milestone when the CALL.PUSH.SHOCK.™ framework was officially trademarked by our founder.
By distilling emergency action into three memorable steps — CALL 911, PUSH hard and fast with CPR, and SHOCK with an AED — the framework eliminates hesitation and empowers people of all ages to remember what to do when panic strikes.
The Mission is Still the Same: Help More People Be Ready.
Our history began because a sudden emergency was met with immediate, capable action. The future depends on ensuring that wherever Sudden Cardiac Arrest happens, someone nearby has the tools, the training, and the willingness to step forward.