08/13/2025
On Tuesday, July 22, members of the Duke University men’s basketball and football teams participated in American Heart Association Hands-Only CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) trainings to learn the correct rate and depth of CPR compressions to be confident and capable when faced with a cardiac emergency. According to American Heart Association data, nearly 9 out of every 10 of people who experience cardiac arrest outside of a hospital die, in part because they do not receive immediate CPR more than half of the time. CPR, especially if performed immediately, can double or triple a person’s chance of survival.
“Every year, hundreds of thousands of cardiac arrests happen outside of hospitals — often with no warning and no time to spare. In those critical moments, knowing how to perform CPR and use an AED can mean the difference between life and death,” said Nancy Brown, CEO of the American Heart Association. “That’s why we’re working tirelessly with organizations like Duke University and their men's basketball and football teams to empower more people with the skills, confidence, and courage to step in and save a life using CPR.”
The Duke student-athletes are the newest members of the American Heart Association’s Nation of LifesaversTM. The Association, a global force changing the future of health for all, began the initiative in 2023 to make CPR and AED (automated external defibrillator) awareness and education a permanent fixture in all communities across the country. The initiative will ensure teens and adults can learn about CPR and AED use, share that knowledge with friends and family and engage employers, policymakers, philanthropists and others to create support for a nation of lifesavers.
DURHAM, N.C., July 23, 2025 — On Tuesday, July 22, members of the Duke University men's basketball and football teams participated in American Heart Association Hands-Only CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) trainings to learn the correct rate and ...