Puget Sound Executives take the helm to save lives

SEATTLE, April 24, 2025 — Ensuring every person who experiences out-of-hospital cardiac arrest receives immediate bystander CPR is a guiding value of the work of the 2025 Puget Sound Heart and Stroke Walk volunteer chairpersons, Eddie Bratko, president, MultiCare Tacoma General and MultiCare Allenmore hospitals and Todd J. Czartoski, M.D., president and chief medical officer, MultiCare Neuroscience Institute and Virtual Health. Bratko and Czartoski will lead the charge to add to our community of lifesavers through leadership of the event which raises funds for the American Heart Association and will provide access to CPR education for all participants. 

 

According to the Association, nine out of 10 people who suffer cardiac arrest outside of the hospital die . In most of those cases, bystander CPR is not performed, yet immediate CPR can double or even triple the chances of survival . Bratko and Czartoski alongside a team of top executive leaders are committed to ensuring that more people are prepared to respond effectively in these life-or-death situations.

 

“You never know when you may be called upon to save a life,” said Czartoski. “I recall attending a conference in Seattle a few years ago when someone suffered cardiac arrest. Luckily for this individual there were lots of trained lifesavers nearby, but the situation could have been very different. Everyone should be prepared to perform CPR and our work to build a network of lifesavers will make a bystander CPR response available to more Washingtonians.” 

 

The Heart and Stroke Walk is more than a fundraiser—it’s a movement that drives corporate involvement in the fight against cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death in Washington. This year, companies participating in the Heart and Stroke Walk will play a crucial role in the American Heart Association’s Nation of Lifesavers™ initiative, a national effort aimed at doubling cardiac arrest survival rates by 2030. 

 

"We envision a future where at least one person in every household knows CPR," said Bratko. "As a lifelong Buffalo Bills fan, I was watching the Monday Night Football game when Damar Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest. We all collectively witnessed the impact of a trained and immediate emergency response. The benefit of having a confident lifesaver in every home cannot be overstated. By joining the American Heart Association’s Heart and Stroke Walk, companies are helping to turn our community from bystanders into lifesavers, ensuring that when a cardiac emergency occurs, there is someone ready to step in and make a difference."

 

The year-round Puget Sound Heart and Stroke Walk campaign will culminate with two events one at Cheney Stadium in Tacoma on September 27 and a second in Seattle on October 11. Funds raised through the Heart and Stroke Walk will advance lifesaving research, increase CPR education and training, and drive equitable health for all people. Companies interested in participating can contact king.walk@heart.org. For more information about the Puget Sound Heart and Stroke Walk, visit PugetSoundHeartWalk.org.

 

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The American Heart Association is a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. Dedicated to ensuring equitable health in all communities, the organization has been a leading source of health information for more than one hundred years. Supported by more than 35 million volunteers globally, we fund groundbreaking research, advocate for the public’s health, and provide critical resources to save and improve lives affected by cardiovascular disease and stroke. By driving breakthroughs and implementing proven solutions in science, policy, and care, we work tirelessly to advance health and transform lives every day. Connect with us on heart.org, Facebook, X or by calling 1-800-AHA-USA1. In Washington, visit heart.org/Washington, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram or X.

 

Francesca Minas, Francesca.minas@heart.org   

Valerie Koch, Valerie.koch@heart.org  

For Public Inquiries: 1-800-AHA-USA1 (242-8721)

heart.org and stroke.org