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In light of the recent ABC Channel 7 News report regarding a 14 year-old Chicago boy who saved his father's life by using CPR, the Save A Life Foundation (SALF) is strongly urging the Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich to reinstate the annual budget line item funding for SALF.

Illinois State Senator Walter Dudycz, who was the first to advocate state appropriations for SALF back in 1997, says: "Now is not the time to cut programs that have proven time and time again that children can make a difference and lives can be saved."

When he was a Congressman, Rod Blagojevich stated: "I applaud the work of the SALF and will continue to support its efforts through the appropriations process in any way I can." Yet now, as Governor, he is removing SALF funding from the state's FY2004 budget, therefore disrupting SALF's operations as well as the continuation of the basic life-supporting first aid training (LSFA) offered free to all public school children.

SALF, affiliate of U.S. Homeland Security, works together with the U.S. Conference of Mayors has been a leading advocate of Pre-EMS training of all bystanders, especially children, prepare themselves in times of emergencies since it's founding in 1993.

"I have known friends who have gone through similar situations, and what Carol has accomplished is truly an inspiration and a miracle," says Congressman Kirk.

Utilizing only those with EMS credentials as its instructors, SALF has trained nearly a million school children, for free, in skills such as scene safety, dialing 911, recognizing an emergency, bleed control, opening an airway, rescue breathing and the Heimlich maneuver, enabling children to save the lives of their teachers, parents, grandparents and siblings.

"What good is having a means of saving lives and then not having people informed on how to do it," says Dr. Henry Heimlich, who also serves as SALF's Medical Advisor.

A study conducted in 1997 showed that children who have taken this course have a 97% retention level after 3 months and a 57% increase in confidence levels.

SALF hopes the Governor will reevaluate his decision and recognize those hundreds of letters from mayors, school principals and congressional leaders in support of SALF because of increased demand its program