UIL State Football Finalists to Receive AEDs from St. Jude Medical

Date: Dec 14, 2006
Category: General Information

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

AUSTIN, TX- The 2006 UIL football finalist teams will each receive two Automated External Defibrillators (AED) from St. Jude Medical this December, the UIL announced today. Each team that participates in a state championship football game (24 teams total) will receive one AED to keep at their school, and an additional AED to donate to another UIL member school that lacks an AED.

This initiative, brought forth by St. Jude Medical's U.S. Division based in Austin, is taking place to help UIL member schools be in compliance with a newly adopted UIL rule requiring every UIL member high school to have at least one AED on campus.

“We are pleased that St. Jude Medical recognized the importance of having AEDs in our schools, and agreed to this great undertaking,” said UIL Assistant Director and Director of Athletics Dr. Charles Breithaupt. “The UIL feels like the best way to reward the outstanding accomplishments of our student athletes like these football finalists is to provide them, not only with state championship trophies, but also with tools that help preserve their health and safety.”

“With St. Jude Medical's U.S. Division located in Texas, we're especially proud to have the opportunity to contribute to high school athletes here,” said Michael T. Rousseau, president of St. Jude Medical's U.S. Division. “It's an honor to work with the UIL to distribute these devices and to recognize the efforts of our high school teams.”

This past October, the UIL Legislative Council passed a rule requiring every UIL member high school to have at least one automated external defibrillator on campus. This rule takes effect August 1, 2007. 

St. Jude Medical is dedicated to making life better for cardiac, neurological and chronic pain patients worldwide through excellence in medical device technology and services. The Company has five major focus areas that include: cardiac rhythm management, atrial fibrillation, cardiac surgery, cardiology and neuromodulation. Headquartered in St. Paul, Minn., St. Jude Medical employs approximately 11,000 people worldwide. For more information, please visit www.sjm.com.

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