UConn Expert: An athletic trainer saved my life as a teen. Student athletes don't have to die

· 2 min. read

Dr. Douglas Casa was a 16-year-old student athlete when he collapsed during a 10K race -- in the midst of a life-threatening exertional heat stroke, or EHS, the quick action of an athletic trainer saved him.


Now a professor of kinesiology a UConn and CEO of the Korey Stringer Institute, Casa is a leading voice on heat-related illnesses and preventing sudden death in sport -- and he has lifesaving advice for parents and policymakers as the summer sports season begins, published recently in the Courier-Journal:



Change happens when a few key leaders come together to find a path to advocate for these life-saving policies. The key factor that determines if a high school athlete will live or die is the actions in the first 10 minutes after a condition presents itself. EHS has a 100% survival rate if cooling is done correctly, and proper prevention strategies can prevent nearly all EHS cases. Cardiac conditions survival rates can be as high as 90% when an AED is applied within 3 minutes of onset.

When the moment comes and your child’s life lies in the balance, you want to be sure these life-saving policies are in place and that the appropriately trained licensed medical professional (i.e. AT) is on-site. So much hinges on those first few minutes. Most of all, your life will never return to normal if your child dies from a condition that is nearly always survivable when cared for properly. Do whatever you can before they die.


Dr. Douglas Casa is available to speak with the media today - simply click on his icon now to arrange an interview.











Connect with:

Douglas J. Casa, Ph.D.

CEO-Korey Stringer Institute, Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor, Department of Kinesiology

Focused on prevention of sudden death in sport, exertional heat stroke, wearable technologies, hydration, and performance in the heat

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