Damar Hamlin and American Heart Association Bring CPR Education to Japan

The American Heart Association is taking its mission to save lives global with an ambitious CPR education tour in Japan, led by national ambassador Damar Hamlin. The initiative aims to increase survival rates of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests by training students and athletes in critical life-saving techniques.

During the four-day tour, Hamlin and American Heart Association CEO Nancy Brown will engage with multiple educational institutions and sporting events. At the American School in Japan, approximately 1,500 students will receive Hands-Only CPR training, learning essential skills to respond during cardiac emergencies.

The tour highlights a critical health education challenge: in the United States, more than half of sudden cardiac arrest victims do not receive immediate cardiopulmonary resuscitation, contributing to a staggering statistic where 9 out of 10 out-of-hospital cardiac arrest victims die. By expanding this educational program internationally, the American Heart Association seeks to transform bystanders into potential lifesavers.

Hamlin, who experienced a life-threatening cardiac arrest during a football game in 2023, has become a powerful advocate for CPR education. Through his Chasing M's Foundation, he is not only teaching CPR techniques but also donating automated external defibrillators (AEDs) to local schools in Kawasaki and at the American School in Japan.

The Nation of Lifesavers movement, launched in 2023, has an ambitious goal of doubling survival rates of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in the United States by 2030. This Japan tour represents a significant step in expanding that mission globally, demonstrating how rapid, effective intervention can mean the difference between life and death.

With CPR training taking as little as 90 seconds to learn, the American Heart Association emphasizes that anyone can become equipped to save a life. The organization's guidelines recommend that if a person collapses, witnesses should immediately call emergency services and begin chest compressions at a rate of 100-120 beats per minute, with a compression depth of approximately two inches.