Downingtown resident Christy Silva honors her son Aidan, who died of sudden cardiac arrest when he was seven years old, through her work with Aidan’s Heart Foundation, a nonprofit that raises awareness of the condition and helps others avoid the same fate, writes Lisa Dukart for Main Line Today.

“I’d never even heard of sudden cardiac arrest before,” said Silva. “We don’t often hear about these deaths, sometimes because they’re mistermed a heart attack, or a child dies due to heat exhaustion.”

Launched seven years ago, Aidan’s Heart Foundation offers a free series of screenings. With help from a children’s cardiologist and other volunteers, the organization has so far administered more than 2,000 screenings.

Additionally, the foundation has educated more than 6,500 students on CPR and AED use through its partnership with the Downingtown Area School District.

Silva and her husband established a 5K that takes place around Aidan’s birthday. Funds from the run go to education and life-saving technology.

Read more about Christy Silva in Main Line Today here.

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