Be an inaugural supporter of the Sudden Cardiac Art Exhibition running throughout September at Kingshill House, Dursley, UK, with a community launch event September 7.

Over 30 artists from around the world are submitting a vast array of art pieces to combat the unacceptable and unnecessary death rates from sudden cardiac arrest which remain at epidemic proportions.

Who is behind this, how did it begin, and where can you find out even more?

Two sisters from the US who are living with a deadly heart condition, one of whom has already survived sudden cardiac arrest, realized that it is awareness before and quick actions during a sudden cardiac arrest from everyday citizens that determines life or death. So they went on a mission to train and inform people, children through adults, on using defibrillators and performing CPR.

As they went about their work, they discovered to their horror that women had significantly lower survival rates because, even when they could, people were choosing not to help women, basically because of their breasts. It seemed unconscionable that women would be left to die. They were enraged and vowed to change that.

Across the pond in the UK, a fellow heart warrior and artist saw the HeartCharged campaign and knew she needed to join in. She too wanted to raise survival rates, for women, children, and men, from the current 10% to the attainable 70%. How could she, as an artist, enact change? She knew that in museums the female breast was on display as art. Why would we keep it cover it up when it became a matter of life or death? She knew that, through art, people could see the beauty of saving another human and, through awareness, they could learn how.

Thus from the passionate, albeit flawed, hearts of Bethany & Hannah Keime of HeartCharged and fine artist Charlie Kirkham has come the Sudden Cardiac Art Exhibition & Event.

official exhibit account: @suddencardiacart

additional resources: @heartcharged

Image Above: Artwork by Charlie Kirkham, showing the beauty of the female form with the beauty in the simple and humane act of saving a life.