Join the Missouri State Advocacy!
My name is Shari Taylor, I am a wife, mom, daughter, friend and sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) Survivor!
Most people who go into sudden cardiac arrest outside of a hospital do not survive. It was a hot August day when I collapsed, no signs at all that anything was wrong. There were eight volunteers in the football field concession stand preparing for the upcoming season at my children’s high school. I was very lucky that two of the other volunteers were nurses and immediately began CPR – there was NO AED in the stand. EMS was called and those two nurses gave me lifesaving CPR for 10 straight minutes.
It’s a miracle that I survived! With a second chance at life as a Survivor, I decided to become a volunteer for the American Heart Association. With the AHA, I’ve helped raise money as captain of a Heart Walk Team and spent time In Jefferson City testifying for AEDs in our schools.
Now, I am a member of the Missouri State Advocacy Committee (SAC). The SAC is a group of volunteers supported by AHA under the purview of the AHA State Government Relations Director. The SAC assists in moving state and local policy forward through grassroots and legislative advocacy.
Members of the SAC bring their personal experience and passion to bear in helping shape policy priorities. We connect with lawmakers at “Lobby Days,” and by direct outreach via email and social media. We respond to special alerts provided by AHA. We have a SAC virtual meeting once per quarter to review results and discuss future efforts. The total time commitment is about 5 – 10 hours per quarter.
The Missouri SAC needs additional volunteers to join the team. We need a broader geographic representation across our state. And we need added voices as we take on issues like funding for Cardiac Emergency Response Plans and CPR instruction in schools.