Chicago Bears and Advocate Health Care Successfully Host Hands-On CPR Training Session with Bears Alum Jason McKie
On July 17, the Chicago Bears, in collaboration with Advocate Health Care, conducted a successful hands-on CPR training session at the Walter Payton Center, joined by former Bears fullback, Jason McKie. The event brought together more than 40 Bears gameday and training camp staff members for a comprehensive training experience aimed at equipping them with life-saving skills.
"As a Chicago Bears alumni player, I think about my legacy on the field, and I think about the next generation of players, including my own son who plays college football," McKie said. "I want them to be better athletes than I was, and I also want them to be safer. Seeing the Bears partner with Advocate Health Care so that more people are trained in CPR, means more players are safe, and this is why I am participating. My children are my legacy and I want to be sure that while they and their teammates enjoy sports, they have people around them to keep them safe and save lives."
The training session featured hands-on, non-certification CPR training, a question and answer session, skills check and Advocate-Bears branded giveaways.
The training session was led by Lisa Krch, a paramedic and Primary EMS instructor from Advocate Health Care, along with Dr. Elizabeth Regan, an emergency physician. Dr. Regan emphasized the importance of training more individuals in the community in CPR, AED usage, and emergency response to enhance the chances of survival for those experiencing cardiac arrest.
Regan says, "Knowing CPR is knowing how to save a life. It's rare that we can possess a skill that can be deployed at anytime, anywhere, that has the ability to preserve and save a life. When someone goes into cardiac arrest, every second counts. The more people in the community that know how to perform CPR, use an AED, and how to call for help, increases the chance for survival. Even professional athletes at the peak of their careers can suffer cardiac arrest and require emergency CPR. No one is immune."
Dr. Regan has been practicing emergency medicine for 10 years and has more than 20 years of experience practicing CPR, while Krch brings with her 25 years of experience as a paramedic and 15 as a Lead EMS Instructor.
Both the Chicago Bears and Advocate Health Care expressed sincere gratitude to all the participants for their engagement and commitment to community safety. These training sessions play a vital role in enhancing overall preparedness for emergency situations.