The American Heart Association has concluded a three-year national campaign focused on educating students and families at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) about hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and Hands-Only CPR training. The initiative, which concluded on HCM Awareness Day in February 2026, aimed to address the leading cause of sudden cardiac death in young athletes, a condition that disproportionately affects Black athletes according to the Association.
HCM is estimated to affect 1 in 500 people, with many cases remaining undiagnosed. The campaign intentionally paired HCM education with Hands-Only CPR training because knowing how to respond in the first moments of a cardiac emergency can double or triple survival rates. Hundreds of students, athletes, and community members received hands-on CPR demonstrations as part of the Association's Nation of Lifesavers™ movement.
The campaign utilized a public service announcement strategy featuring both English and Spanish-language radio PSAs and on-campus CPR demonstrations. These messages emphasized the importance of family heart history, early detection, and CPR education, particularly for student-athletes and their families. To extend reach and credibility, the Association collaborated with Black and multicultural media platforms, including a national content integration curated by Sybil Wilkes' "Check In & Check Up" with the State of Black Health: Public Health and Media Symposium at the National Press Club in Washington D.C., reaching more than one million monthly unique visitors across the Black America Web platform.
"When students, coaches and families understand both the risks of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and how to respond immediately to sudden cardiac arrest, we create an environment where prevention and preparedness go hand in hand," said Matthew Martinez, M.D., FAHA, FACC, an American Heart Association volunteer medical expert. "By pairing evidence-based HCM education with Hands-Only CPR training, this campaign transforms awareness into lifesaving action."
The campaign engaged student-athletes and families at HBCU homecomings and rivalry games at institutions including Hampton University, Norfolk State University, Howard University and Xavier University of Louisiana, as well as at the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Basketball Tournament. Additional education took place at conferences such as the United Negro College Fund Leadership Conference and the Hispanic Educational Technology Services Student Experience Summit & Showcase in Puerto Rico.
The Association also expanded its Heart Club, the organization's student-led campus organization, to empower students as ongoing heart health ambassadors on their campuses. The campaign demonstrated how sustained, culturally relevant engagement aligned with awareness moments and trusted partners can drive national impact. By centering communities disproportionately affected by sudden cardiac death and cardiovascular disease, the American Heart Association continues to advance health equity while helping save lives through education and action.
The Association's HCM awareness and education in athletes was made possible in part by a financial grant from the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation. For more information about hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and resources for students, athletes and families, visit https://www.heart.org/HCMStudentAthlete. To learn how to save a life in 90 seconds, visit https://www.heart.org/HandsOnlyCPR.
