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 campaign, which concluded on HCM Awareness Day in February 2026, addressed the leading cause of sudden cardiac death in young athletes, which disproportionately affects Black athletes according to the Association.
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy affects an estimated 1 in 500 people, with many cases remaining undiagnosed. The condition can trigger sudden cardiac arrest without warning, particularly during physical activity in sports involving sudden movements like football or basketball. Throughout the campaign, HCM education was intentionally paired with Hands-Only CPR training to reinforce readiness for sudden cardiac emergencies, with hundreds of students, athletes, and community members receiving hands-on demonstrations that can double or triple survival rates when cardiac arrest occurs.
The campaign utilized a public service announcement strategy featuring English and Spanish-language radio PSAs and on-campus CPR demonstrations. These messages reinforced 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.
"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 and co-author of the 2024 American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology Guideline for the Management of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. Martinez noted that culturally responsive, campus-centered outreach across HBCU and HSI athletic communities ensures young athletes are informed about their heart health and prepared to help save lives.
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 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, which reached students from Hispanic-Serving Institutions and high schools across the island.
The Association strengthened relationships with athletic conferences, university leaders and student organizations while expanding its Heart Club, the Association's student-led campus organization, to empower students as ongoing heart health ambassadors. 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 campaign'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 heart.org/HCMStudentAthlete.
