Melinda Truax, the local mother who lost her 16-year-old son Matthew to an undiagnosed heart condition in September 2013, is asking for support for a bill being introduced in the Washington State Senate aimed at educating students, parents and coaches about Sudden Cardiac Arrest.

Senate Bill 5083, the Washington State Sudden Cardiac Awareness Bill, is scheduled for a public hearing Thursday, Jan. 22, at 8 a.m. You can read the entire bill, introduced by Sen. Rosemary McAuliffe, here. It would require preparation of an online pamphlet describing the nature, risk, symptoms and warning signs of cardiac arrest and ensure that an online sudden cardiac arrest prevention program be made available to athletic coaches.

Sudden cardiac arrest is the sudden onset of an abnormal and lethal heart rhythm. It is the leading cause of death in the U.S., afflicting over 300,000 individuals per year. SCA is also the leading cause of sudden death in exercising young athletes. Matthew Truax collapsed and died during P.E. class at Meadowdale High School.

You can learn more about the Heart of Edmonds School District and Community Heart Safe Project, and the Feb. 28 fundraiser aimed at putting automated external defibrillators in all Edmonds School District schools, here.