About the Foundation

Savino Foundation Board of Directors

Established in December, 2000 by Louis' Mother and Aunt, the Louis Savino, III Foundation raises funds for lifesaving devices known as Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs). In keeping with their fund-raising mission, the foundation's focus is on yet another type of AED…Awareness, Education & Detection.

» Awareness: providing information about the warning signs of SCD and providing equipment and funding the purchase of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs), for schools, gymnasiums and athletic fields.

» Education: sponsoring CPR and AED training programs for teachers, coaches and students to provide essential lifesaving training.

» Detection: crusading for comprehensive school physical examinations at a time in life when it becomes possible to detect previously unknown symptoms in order to prevent potential SCDs - potential early deaths from heart failure.

To-date, the Savino Foundation has funded more than $40,000 to schools, camps and athletic organizations for AED’s, lifesaving training and heart screening programs.

Community Outreach

CPR/AED Programs

Savino Foundation on the Air

Savino Foundation featured on WWDB-AM Radio Program – ""The Medical View"

Community Service Activity

Bucks County Community College Nursing Seminar: "Gone in a Heartbeat" -- Sudden Cardiac Death in Youth and Ways to Prevent Future Tragedies

Gone in a Heartbeat Video

AEDs should be in every school to protect every child.
T. Pellegrini & L. Sikora are featured in a video, Gone in a Heartbeat produced by the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Youth Heart Watch group under the direction of Dr. Victoria Vetter, Chief of Cardiology.

Watch the Video

A Mother's Message

Nothing could have ever prepared me for the horrible event that I witnessed on October 12, 2000. My hope is to spare parents from experiencing, as I did, the sudden unexpected and ultimate tragedy of losing one's child.

As parents we are responsible for our children and we must take steps to act on their behalf. Be certain that your child's school and playing fields are equipped with AED’s and that an Emergency Response Plan is in effect should a child be stricken, as my child was. It is crucial that your child's physician be aware of any family history of heart disease, SCD in a relative who died before the age of 50, or Marfan's Syndrome.

Of vital importance are any new or unusual symptoms experienced by your child. They should be thoroughly investigated by his/her physician. Symptoms such as palpitations, chest pain and blackouts during exercise should not be ignored. If need be, insist on tests such as EKG, stress EKG and echocardiogram to determine if a heart problem exists.

Life everyday is quite different for me now and I know it will never be the same as the days I shared with my son, Louis. Now I look to my dreams to share time with him.

My time is now spent on a crusade to spread awareness and to strive for the prevention of sudden cardiac death in our youth. I do this in memory of Louis and the hundreds of other young people whose lives have been cut short in the same way.

– Toni Pellegrini

In Search of AEDs

AED Donations from The Savino Foundation

"He looked like the picture of health"..."she was energetic and so physically fit"..."how can this happen to a child?"

These words frequently accompany the stories in newspapers all across the country. Ever since the passing of young Louis Savino, Foundation members research cases of sudden cardiac death (SCD) in youth from reputable news sources. Each year, thousands of children, teens and young adults suffer sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) Often, the outcome is sudden death.

In Search of AEDs

Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) are amazing, intuitive units. They are the main link in the chain of survival. Having the unit readily available and knowing how to use it enables otherwise helpless individuals to do all they can to save a life. AEDs DO make the difference between life and death. Sudden cardiac death (SCD) typically occurs as a result of a structural problem with the heart or as a result of a hereditary heart disorder. It can also occur as a result of heat exhaustion or a concussion to the heart known as commotio cordis. The aftermath of these events can affect children and adults in a profound way and leave them with an indelible memory.

Please join us in our crusade “In Search of AEDs”. Whether you are a parent, grandparent or if you have friends or family with children, ask if they have these units available in their schools, in their gyms and on their fields. If you know of a school, youth organization, camp or student athletic program that is in need of a grant for an Automated External Defibrillator and lifesaving training, please have their representative contact the Savino Foundation at (215) 369-9696.

What is an AED?

An AED is a device about the size of a laptop computer that analyzes the heart's rhythm for any abnormalities and, if necessary, directs the rescuer to deliver an electrical shock to the victim. This shock, called defibrillation, may help the heart to reestablish an effective rhythm of its own. For each minute defibrillation is delayed, the chance of survival is reduced by 10 percent.

Early defibrillation is the link in the Chain of Survival! Learn CPR and how to use an AED today.

AED Basics to Save a Life

1. Educate first responders as to the protocol for responding to a cardiac emergency.
2. Be sure the AED is visible, properly marked and accessible at all times. An AED hidden behind a locked door will never save a life!
3. Check the batteries and pads once a month and immediately notify authorities if units are not functioning.
4. Using an AED within 4 to 6 minutes increases the survival rate to 60%. Without an AED the survival rate decreases 10% for every passing minute.
5. In case of a cardiac emergency, call 911 immediately, then begin CPR/AED usage.

Cardiac Screening Programs

Louis Savino died of a congenital heart condition known as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). HCM consists of a thickening of the heart muscle, which disrupts the main pumping chamber of the heart.

Congenital heart disease is the leading cause of non-traumatic sudden athletic death, with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

The Savino foundation is committed to doing everything possible to prevent the tragedy of sudden death in student athletes. We recognize the importance of identifying young men and women who may be at risk for sudden cardiac death.

The standard pre-sports participation physical exam may not go far enough to identify the cardiovascular abnormalities and undetected heart conditions. An echocardiogram test can determine whether the student-athlete is at risk for a sudden cardiac event due to abnormalities or defects of the heart.

Cardiac screening programs are slowly making their way through schools and athletic organizations in the United States. This preventive testing is mandated in several other countries such as Italy and Japan resulting in a reduction of sudden death incidents.

Pennsbury High School Soccer Team Cardiac Screening - October, 2006

Savino Foundation Heart Screening News Video

Disturbing Facts

U.S. falls behind with preventive care of student athletes.

Since 1982, Italian law has required every athlete participating in competitive sports to undergo a checkup that includes a health history, physical exam and echocardiogram to detect potentially deadly heart abnormalities. The number of sudden heart-related deaths in young athletes dropped by 89% from 1979—2004.

Read the full article