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Milwaukee, WI - November 1, 2004 - St. Joseph Regional Medical Center's President, Ron Groepper and Save A Life Foundation's Regional Branch Medical Director, Mark Mitchell, D.O. Emergency Medicine received a mini-grant award for $75,000 at an awards presentation event Thursday, October 28th at St. Joseph Regional Medical Center, Milwaukee, WI.

The SALF Regional Branch, facilitated out of St. Joseph's Medical Center in Milwaukee, applied for the mini-grant three months ago to further educate and train Wisconsin schoolchildren at no cost in life-supporting first aid (LSFA) skills.  After, receiving high reviews for efforts and accomplishments in preparing citizens, especially children for emergencies, SALF's National Board, selected them to win.

SALF's President & Founder, Carol Spizzirri, responsible for developing the most effective and efficient basic LSFA programs, including CPR & Heimlich Maneuver presented the award and stated, "Being that I am a Wisconsin native and having all of my three children delivered here at this medical center, it is an honor to present this award".

SALF's Regional Director, Dr. Mitchell, who also serves as Emergency Medical Director for St. Joseph, accepted the award and relayed a story of an 18-month-old girl, who swallowed a red rubber ball, the size of a quarter; which resulted her to go into cardiac arrest and later causing severe brain damage. He stressed that "If the mother of this young girl rendered prompt basic LSFA, she may have bypassed vegetative state."

Others who attended this event included SALF branch facilitator, Gloria Singleton-Young & Principal, C. Frederick -Stanley from Sherman Multicultural Arts School who incorporated LSFA programs into her schools and recognizes the vital need for them to be part of the schools curriculum.

Carol Spizzirri, founded the SALF after her eighteen-year-old daughter tragically died as a result of bystanders not prepared to assist prior to EMS arrival. To prevent this tragedy from occurring again, she advocated that all bystanders, especially children be prepared to respond in times of emergencies.  With the help from Dr. Henry Heimlich (Heimlich

maneuver) and the late Dr. Peter Safar (father of CPR), Spizzirri developed age-appropriate LSFA programs that would increase the chances of survival. 

Utilizing only first responders for instructors, SALF has been responsible for training over a million schoolchildren & adults in skills that help save a life.

For more information about the Award Presentation or the Save A Life Foundation, please contact National Director of Communications, Ciprina Spizzirri at 847-928-9683 or 847-366-1129.