Nearly 50 area organizations, including schools, churches and nonprofit agencies across Benton, Cedar, Delaware, Iowa, Johnson, Jones and Linn counties, were recently selected to receive automated external defibrillators (AEDs) from St. Luke's Health Care Foundation. The announcement took place during a celebration marking the completion of UnityPoint Health – St. Luke's Hospital's $25 million Nassif Heart & Vascular Center expansion yesterday.

In Benton County, three locations  received the external defibrillators (AEDs) from St. Luke's Health Care Foundation: Benton Community Schools, Van Horne, Oak Grove Church, and the Vinton Fire Department. 

The event also featured North Liberty resident Don Triggs, who survived cardiac arrest after his daughter performed CPR along Interstate 380, a police officer used an AED to restore his heartbeat, and he received treatment at St. Luke’s. 

“I get goosebumps every time I tell my story,” Triggs shared. “Multiple people have told me I should not be here today. In a terrible situation, everything went exactly right.” 

St. Luke’s Health Care Foundation’s Heart Saver Grant program began in 2022 as part of the hospital’s Heart and Vascular expansion project, extending the project’s impact beyond the hospital walls by placing life‑saving AEDs into the community even before construction began. Since its launch, the Heart Saver Grant has awarded 100 AEDs to community organizations, including this year’s recipients. The grant was created to improve survival from cardiac arrest, which occurs when the heart unexpectedly stops beating.

According to the American Heart Association (AHA), nearly 90 percent of people who experience cardiac arrest outside a hospital die. Immediate CPR and access to an AED can dramatically improve survival rates, making public access to defibrillators critical.

“Today’s celebration honors the generosity that strengthens our Heart & Vascular Center,” said Foundation President Melissa Winter. “For close to 50 years, friends and neighbors have helped St. Luke’s Health Care Foundation advance heart care services. Their support continues to inspire healthier, more hopeful futures – creating positive change that touches lives every day.”

St. Luke’s Heart & Vascular Center expansion concluded in July with the opening of a new hybrid operating room. The project also increased capacity for heart rhythm and vascular procedures, enhanced imaging technology and modernized patient care areas to help improve access to advanced cardiovascular care close to home.    

Together, the expansion and the Heart Saver program reflect St. Luke’s continued commitment to strengthening heart care both inside the hospital and throughout the communities it serves.