GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- The Grand Rapids Heart Ball gets underway at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Goei Center in Grand Rapids.

It will include a V-I-P reception, a cocktail hour, a dinner program and a live auction. This year’s Heart Ball features 18-year-old cardiac arrest survivor Jake Chapman. He collapsed at home last fall, but his father gave him C-P-R and his mother, Rachel, called 9-1-1

"The paramedics came and shocked me twice, and I was taken to the hospital by ambulance," Jake said on West Michigan's Morning News.

Also speaking Wednesday on WOOD Radio was Jake's father, Chad Chapman.

"It's really about acting in the moment, in the heat of everything that's going wrong that you can't possibly imagine. Just doing, like, simple chest compressions is what really kept the blood flowing and saved Jake's life," he said.

In a news release, the American Heart Association says the Heart Ball raises vital funds to ensure equitable health, critical research and the support of its lifesaving work in Grand Rapids continues.

"With Bold Hearts™ and support from donors, we have helped transform our community and significantly reduce heart disease and stroke death rates," the AHA says.

Over the past half-century, it says deaths from cardiovascular diseases have been reduced by more than 70 percent. And, in the past 25 years, stroke deaths have been reduced by 37 percent.

“Progress doesn’t happen without Bold Hearts trailblazing new paths of scientific discovery, working tirelessly to remove barriers to health equity and advocating for healthier communities,” said Jana Siminski, executive director of the American Heart Association, West Michigan. “Throughout the past century, the American Heart Association has moved health and well-being forward in so many important and critical ways.”

“Jake may not be here today if it wasn’t for the science of CPR and the American Heart Association’s commitment to educating the community on these crucial lifesaving skills,” Rachel Chapman said. “We need to work together to ensure at least one person in every household in West Michigan knows the steps to save a life and that every school, school event, and athletics staff have the resources they need to be ready to jump in, in case of a cardiac emergency.”

Here is more information from an AHA webpage:

Dr. Ronald Grifka, chief medical officer at University of Michigan Health-West, will co-chair the Heart Ball Centennial campaign alongside community advocate, Mindy Seufert.

“I am honored to return to join Dr. Grifka as co-chair of the 2024 Grand Rapids Heart Ball,” Seufert said. “Jake’s story resonates with all of us – especially as a mom of a teenage son who experienced several life-threatening heart-conditions. The work of the American Heart Association is more important than ever, and I know first-hand the value of the impact we can make when we walk alongside each other.”

The 2024 Grand Rapids Heart Ball is presented by the Cardiovascular Network of West Michigan – a partnership between University of Michigan Health-West and Trinity Health.

“We know research will lead to a cure for these leading causes of death and disability,” Dr. Grifka said. ”We are proud to support the bold investments that have already led to significant medical advancements including the first artificial heart valve, implantable pacemakers, cholesterol-lowering medications and techniques for CPR.”

The American Heart Association has invested over $24 million in research at Michigan universities and in the last year, trained over 280,000 Michiganders in the lifesaving skills of Hands-Only CPR.

For more information on how to support or attend the Grand Rapids Heart Ball, visit our website at heart.org/grandrapidsheartball or contact Jana Siminski at jana.siminski@heart.org.

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