December is a busy time of year filled with holidays, family gatherings, football games…and ice hockey season! With the National Hockey League (NHL) in the heart of its season, some diehard fans, and hockey players alike, are laser focused on game day. But is heart health on the upcoming winter schedule? Former professional ice hockey player Craig Cunningham, age 27, knows the true meaning of putting his heart and soul into the game. Just as he was starting his career with the NHL, his dream was derailed after collapsing on the ice. Cunningham had suffered from a sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), an abrupt and unexpected heart malfunction. Now back in the game as a scout for his former team, Cunningham is also working to raise awareness about SCA to help athletes, fans, and the public learn what they can do to come out ahead of a potentially deadly heart condition. On Thursday, December 7, Craig Cunningham and his physician Dr. Mathew Hutchinson, cardiac electrophysiologist with the University of Arizona Sarver Heart Center, will be available to provide information about SCA prevention and the life-saving medical therapies available for those at risk of SCA.
