Check Up 13

Welcome to Check Up 13, in partnership with Ascension St. Vincent

WTHR and co-anchor and health reporter Anne Marie Tiernon have partnered with Ascension St. Vincent, part of Ascension, one of the leading non-profit and Catholic health systems in the U.S., on an initiative called Check Up 13. The goal of Check Up 13 is to educate and encourage Indiana residents to take a proactive role in their own health. Check Up 13 includes news stories that will air on the 13th of every month during WTHR's Health Beat segment. The monthly program will highlight providers and patient success stories at Ascension St. Vincent and focus on the health topic screening, event or promotion for that month.

Please read the details about this month's Check Up 13 below. On the 13th of each month, you can register by filling out the form at the bottom of the page or by calling 866-UCHECK13 (866-824-3251).

Bystander CPR: Your Opportunity to Save A Life

It can happen in an instant: an infant stops breathing, a toddler falls into a swimming pool, an adult grabs his chest and falls over, or an athlete collapses on the court. It's essential to call 911 for medical help, but the first people on the scene have an even bigger responsibility to begin CPR. If performed immediately, CPR can double or triple the chance of survival from an out of hospital cardiac arrest.

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR, is a lifesaving technique that can keep oxygen and blood circulating through someone's body when their heart stops functioning. Performing CPR can save someone's life, prevent brain damage, and preserve organ function even if you can't see a difference in the person while you're performing it. Trained medical professionals can take over and know that valuable time wasn't lost while they were in route to the person in need.

“Bystander CPR is one of the biggest factors in predicting whether the patient will survive or not,” explained Dr. Andy Beardsley, Pediatric Intensive Care Unit Medical DIrector at Peyton Manning Children's Hospital. “If you just wait for EMS to get there, there's a good chance the patient could die, or have permanent brain damage due to lack of oxygen. CPR saves lives.”

The good news is CPR courses are offered regularly, take just a few hours to complete, and can help attendees feel confident that if called on to help, they could make a lifesaving difference.

Family and Friends CPR Course

Ascension St. Vincent and the American Heart Association have partnered to offer low-cost non-certification CPR courses for Family and Friends. Attendees learn how to perform CPR on adults, children, and infants and how to help an adult, child or infant who is choking. It is designed for family members such as new parents, grandparents, babysitters, and generally those persons who want to learn CPR and do not need certification for employment. This class is participation only and a CPR book includes a course participation card of attendance. The book is a helpful tool to review and remember their training.

WTHR Check Up 13

For this month's WTHR Check Up 13, Ascension St. Vincent is offering a free Family and Friends CPR Course. Those interested in taking the class who cannot attend the free course can sign up for another course on our schedule, and pay the standard $25 registration fee. Learn more at this website. On May 13, 2024, please fill out the form below or call 866-UCHECK13 (866-824-3251) between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. to attend a Family and Friends CPR Course.