MELVILLE, N.Y. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — Jun. 20, 2023 — Henry Schein Medical, the U.S. medical business of Henry Schein Inc. (Nasdaq: HSIC), Defibtech, and the Professional Football Athletic Trainers Society Foundation Inc. (PFATS Foundation), are coming together to donate and distribute automated external defibrillators (AEDs). Recognizing the importance of having AEDs readily available for student athletes, the PFATS Foundation launched an application process where local high schools, middle schools and youth sports programs can be nominated to receive the devices. The PFATS Foundation will then select recipients based on the credentials outlined in the submission form.
Henry Schein Medical’s Athletics and Schools business will donate AEDs manufactured by Defibtech through its global corporate citizenship program, Henry Schein Cares, exemplifying the Company’s commitment to giving back to the communities it serves.
“We are excited to join forces with Defibtech and the PFATS Foundation to help raise awareness of the need for AEDs in sports facilities, and the critical role these devices play to help ensure the safety of athletes,” said Eric Kearns, National Sales Director of Henry Schein Medical’s Athletics and Schools business. “Our goal is to help athletic trainers keep students on the field or in the game healthy, and by donating these life-saving AEDs, we can together continue to support the sports medicine community and its patients.”
Through the years, Henry Schein’s Medical Athletics and Schools business has championed the importance of athletic trainers and equipping these health care professionals with the supplies, equipment, and resources necessary to treat athletes. For example, the Company has partnered with the Professional Football Athletic Trainers Society since 2011, sponsoring the PFATS Tim Davey Assistant Athletic Trainer of the Year award, which recognizes the commitment, dedication, and integrity of one athletic trainer from each of the two conferences in the professional football league.
“At PFATS, we are dedicated to the welfare of athletic trainers and their athletes,” said Bryan Engel, President of PFATS. “Our mission to ensure the highest quality of health care is provided to athletes synchronizes with the aim of this initiative – to ensure AEDs are placed on or near athletic fields, which, in addition to having trained personnel and a Cardiac Emergency Response plan, can help increase a young athlete’s chances of survival in sudden cardiac arrest.”
According to the Mayo Clinic, sudden cardiac arrest is the leading cause of death in young athletes. Early delivery of shock with a defibrillator— cardiopulmonary resuscitation plus defibrillation within three to five minutes of collapse — can produce survival rates up to 49–75% as stated by the Journal of Athletic Training.
“Each day, athletes participate in training, practice, and games on fields across the country, and it is crucial that these fields are equipped and prepared to help save someone’s life if they suffer sudden cardiac arrest,” said AJ Pace, Vice President of Global Marketing for Defibtech. “It is necessary to have AEDs available at sporting events, and we are pleased to unite with Henry Schein Medical and the PFATS Foundation to play a part in helping to make that happen.”
To apply for an AED, please click here. The deadline for submissions is July 7, 2023. To be considered for a donation, applicants must have a full-time staff member with a CPR/AED certification. Applicants must also display a need for the device, such as being without an AED for its team or organization or not having enough AEDs for its athletes.
For more information about Henry Schein Medical’s Athletics and Schools business and its efforts to give back to the community, click here.
About the Professional Football Athletic Trainers Society Foundation Inc.
The PFATS Foundation strives to advance the Athletic Training profession and develop athletic trainers by providing educational opportunities and cutting-edge research. The PFATS Foundation utilizes three avenues consisting of internal education, external education, and a research committee to enhance the development of athletic trainers.
For more information visit https://www.pfats.com/pfats-foundation/.
About Henry Schein Inc.
Henry Schein Inc. (Nasdaq: HSIC) is a solutions company for health care professionals powered by a network of people and technology. With more than 22,000 Team Schein Members worldwide, the Company's network of trusted advisors provides more than 1 million customers globally with more than 300 valued solutions that help improve operational success and clinical outcomes. Our Business, Clinical, Technology, and Supply Chain solutions help office-based dental and medical practitioners work more efficiently so they can provide quality care more effectively. These solutions also support dental laboratories, government and institutional health care clinics, as well as other alternate care sites.
Henry Schein operates through a centralized and automated distribution network, with a selection of more than 300,000 branded products and Henry Schein corporate brand products in our distribution centers.
A FORTUNE 500 Company and a member of the S&P 500® index, Henry Schein is headquartered in Melville, N.Y., and has operations or affiliates in 32 countries and territories. The Company's sales reached $12.6 billion in 2022, and have grown at a compound annual rate of approximately 12.1 percent since Henry Schein became a public company in 1995.
For more information, visit Henry Schein at www.henryschein.com, Facebook.com/HenrySchein, Instagram.com/HenrySchein, and Twitter.com/HenrySchein.
