Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin’s on-field cardiac arrest on Jan. 2 worried many in the sports world and beyond as they wondered if Hamlin would be able to recover from the life-threatening injury. He found his strength and was released from the hospital later that month. In the time since then, Hamlin has become one of the leading voices calling for improvements to cardiac healthcare and preparedness, having witnessed for himself the importance of proper medical attention in a life or death situation.
Yesterday (March 29), the football star took his case to Capitol Hill. He met with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and was joined by Reps. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (who introduced the bill in Congress) and Bill Posey to discuss the Access to AEDs Act. The legislation would provide funding for schools to beef up their defibrillation care for cases of emergency and increase CPR training. Automated external defibrillators (AEDs) are critical in moments such as those when Hamlin was on the turf in need of medical care.
For Hamlin, ensuring student athletes‘ safety was a priority that he had to get behind. “Sudden cardiac arrest happens to more than 7,000 kids under the age of 18 every year in our country,” Hamlin stated in his address to Congress, per CNN. “The majority of the kids impacted are student athletes. Research shows that one in every 300 youth has an undetected heart condition that puts them at risk.”
“For schools that have AEDs, the survival rate for the children from sudden cardiac arrest is seven times higher,” he continued. “The Access to AEDs Act will help ensure that schools are just as prepared and trained to respond in a time of crisis as those on the sideline of an NFL game.”
Sen. Schumer wore a custom No. 3 Bills jersey in his meeting with the football player. The majority leader vowed to get the bill passed by the end of the current Congress in 2024.
Today (March 30), Hamlin continued his tour of Washington, D.C. and took his message to the White House. He met with President Biden, who shared his gratitude for Hamlin’s visit. “Damar Hamlin’s courage, resilience, and spirit inspired the American people. And what’s more: He turned recovery into action — and our country is better for it,” Biden tweeted. “It was my honor to have him and his family here today.” Check out the photo of the two below.