Key Takeaways
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- Experiencing a cardiac arrest is traumatic and overwhelming and life afterward can be filled with fear, uncertainty, and a desperate need for connection and information.
- Everyone’s journey is different- learning to navigate this delicate balance with empathy and understanding is of crucial importance.
- If you are seeking opportunities to connect, there are several resources and groups available that will walk this path with you.
Where to begin
Experiencing a cardiac arrest event is a traumatic and overwhelming experience. This is true for any parent when their child is affected. Whether your child survives or not, the aftermath leaves deep emotional scars and a profound need for support. It is a journey filled with fear, uncertainty, and a desperate search for information and understanding.
After the cardiac arrest event of your child, it may help you to connect with others. This includes connecting with other families with similar lived experiences, organizations focused on cardiac arrest awareness, groups that have child/adolescent/teen-focused resources, survivor networks, grieving parent support groups, or online social media accounts. We fear for our other children (if we have them), and what will happen in the future, have questions about any potential treatments or tests, and may experience feelings of guilt, inadequacy, and isolation.
Reach out, connect, and remember—you’re not alone on this journey.
A parent’s insight: “I vividly recall the isolating sensation after my son’s passing. Weeks of online searching finally yielded stories of other children who had experienced a cardiac arrest. One morning I received a call from a fellow parent who, despite being across the continent in California, became my lifeline. Her daughter’s story mirrored my son’s, and our shared experience became a source of comfort and understanding during those fragile moments. We spoke of the shock and horror of when our children experienced their cardiac arrest, how it affected our other children, the questions surrounding why or how it could have happened, and our feelings of guilt, shame, and isolation.”
Connecting with others who share this unique experience can be profoundly therapeutic. It is a chance to voice your fears, ask questions, and find solace in knowing you are not alone. Organizations like Parent Heart Watch (USA) and the Canadian Sudden Arrhythmia Death Syndromes Foundation (Canada) offer not just resources but a community of parents who have navigated similar challenges. Annual Parent Heart Watch conferences can help you connect with other parents and young survivors who can bring hope and resilience.
The path to healing is not the same for every family. Some children may prefer not to engage with others who have faced similar trauma, and that is okay. It is crucial to navigate this delicate balance with empathy and understanding, respecting each person’s unique needs and ways of coping.
Available resources
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- Parent Heart Watch- https://parentheartwatch.org/
- Heart and Stroke Foundation (Canada)- https://www.heartandstroke.ca/
- C-SCAN- https://c-scan.org/care/resources-for-families-affected-by-sudden-cardiac-arrest/
- Facebook: Healing Hearts- Parents of Sudden Cardiac Arrest- https://www.facebook.com/groups/2655819061137436/?locale=ur_PK
- Heart Rescue Project- http://www.heartrescueproject.com/survivor-support/resources-for-survivors/
- The Canadian SADS Foundation: https://www.sads.ca/
- Hearts in Rhythm Organization (HiRO): https://hiro.heartsinrhythm.ca/
Thank you to our contributors
Kim Ruether & Katherine Allen
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