How ‘flashing the boobs’ is helping to save women’s lives
This campaign seeks to end the disparity for women with cardiac events
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the United States. As pulmonary hypertension (PH) progresses, patients may experience heart failure, a form of heart disease in which the heart is unable to keep up with its workload and pump blood to adequately meet the body’s needs.
As a former diagnostic medical sonographer and emergency medical technician, I was alarmed to discover that one in five female deaths is from heart disease. I became even more concerned after my own multiple heart failures in 2013 and a heart attack nearly a decade later.
Sisters Hannah, left, and Bethany Keime are raising awareness about the stigma of performing CPR on women in public, in order to save lives. (Courtesy of HeartCharged)
Fortunately, many bystanders are saving lives. According to the American Heart Association, people’s confidence in their cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) skills has increased in recent years.
However, gender bias and societal norms negatively affect the survival rates of women who experience cardiac arrest, as well as the assistance of bystanders practicing CPR or using an automated external defibrillator (AED). One reason is that bystanders may hesitate to perform CPR or use an AED on women because they’re concerned about touching their breasts.
This reluctance becomes particularly evident when it comes to using an AED on female cardiac arrest victims, as the chest must be exposed, often requiring cutting off bras to place AED pads properly. AEDs typically come with scissors specifically designed for this purpose.
Hesitancy to act swiftly can cost lives. Every minute that CPR is delayed decreases the odds of survival by about 10%. Even emergency medical services and law enforcement officers tend to take longer to use AEDs on women than they do on men.
Public education and targeted interventions can improve the survival outcomes for women. One idea to improve these statistics is for schools to implement CPR and AED training programs for students. Another suggestion is that mannequins with breasts be used during training.
It’s important to note, however, that bystander intervention is paramount, and anyone — even people without formal training — can use an AED.
But let’s do more.
Anyone can become CPR/AED-certified. The American Red Cross offers online certification and provides a search option to locate certification centers by city and state.
HeartCharged takes charge
We can also work to raise awareness about these disparities. Sisters Hannah and Bethany Keime, who champion this cause, do so impressively.
Hannah and Bethany both have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), a hereditary condition characterized by the thickening of heart muscles. This thickening can hinder the heart’s ability to pump blood effectively, leading to complications like those seen in pulmonary hypertension.
When medication is inadequate, HCM patients might receive implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) to monitor and correct dangerous heart rhythms. Both Hannah and Bethany have them, and Hannah’s ICD remarkably saved her life twice.
In 2022, this “bionic duo” founded HeartCharged, a nonprofit that promotes heart health awareness and CPR and AED training. They successfully lobbied for legislation in Florida to place AEDs in schools, a move they believe will save lives. They’ve trained hundreds of people in CPR and AED use, raised funds, and increased awareness about the presence of AEDs in public places.
Columnist Jolie Lizana joins the “Flash the Boobs” awareness campaign started by the group HeartCharged. (Courtesy of Jolie Lizana)
When I asked Hannah how it felt to be saving lives, she replied, “It’s quite incomprehensible to think that we young girls are making that kind of impact. To know that what we do literally saves lives is an honor I have no words to express. It makes me realize why I’m still here and that I’m doing something with my [own] life that was saved.”
In 2023, after Bethany came across research highlighting the disparities in CPR and AED use, she and Hannah were aghast. They believed they needed to let the world know that breasts are a factor contributing to the stigma that leads to disproportionate deaths among women.
So they launched a groundbreaking social media movement called “Flash the Boobs to Save a Life.” In this campaign, they brilliantly use contentious images and the hashtag #FlashtheBoobs to attract international attention and prompt dialogue. The campaign challenges conventional attitudes and encourages us to rethink our values in critical situations.
It’s time we engage in advocacy and spark conversations that work toward changing this deadly disparity. Please consider joining the movement. Visit HeartCharged’s website to learn more about its mission. You can also download the campaign’s graphics at Breathtaking Awareness, which I founded.
Be sure to check out my next column, where I’ll share how I edge myself closer to the surviving percentage of the statistics. You can also follow me on Instagram.
Note: Pulmonary Hypertension News is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Pulmonary Hypertension News or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to pulmonary hypertension.
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