HOUSTON Texas, June 16, 2026 — According to the American Heart Association, 9 in 10 people who suffer cardiac arrest outside of the hospital die, and more than half don’t receive bystander CPR. CPR — especially if performed immediately — can double or triple a person’s chance of survival. To help improve cardiac arrest outcomes in Houston, Jeffrey M. Bundy, Ph.D., president and chief commercial officer at United Imaging Healthcare North America, will chair the 2026 Houston Heart Walk, leading a year-round effort to rally companies and community members to raise critical funds and expand CPR education.
Heart Walk is the largest community-facing initiative of the American Heart Association, a relentless force changing the future of health for everyone everywhere. Through fundraising, community education and corporate engagement, Heart Walk aims to make CPR education and training more accessible, fund vital research and drive equitable health for all. Under Bundy’s leadership, top executives in Houston will work to recruit other organizations to join the local Heart Walk campaign and help build a community of lifesavers.
“The success that the American Heart Association has had educating communities on CPR and ensuring AEDs are ubiquitous is remarkable,” said Bundy. Although cardiac disease doesn’t just happen overnight, the first recognized symptoms might be sudden and deadly. In many of these situations, you aren’t in a place where a physician can help. That’s where the Heart Walk can really make a difference. It requires us all to learn, for the good of our families and communities. I hope that people will engage in this activity and learn something that may save a life of a family member, friend or neighbor, or colleague.”
According to the American Heart Association’s 2024 CPR Perceptions Survey, 39% of people — or approximately 103 million U.S. adults — now feel “extremely confident” or “very confident” they could correctly perform CPR, up from 33% in 2021. That’s roughly 17.7 million more adults who are highly confident in their ability to conduct CPR, yet 61% still lack high confidence to act in a cardiac emergency.
“While we’re extremely proud of the progress that’s been made over the last several years, our work is far from over,” said Rod Larson, chief executive officer of Oceaneering Inc. “Bundy has dedicated his career to cardiac diagnosis and hopes that his involvement can also open the eyes of participants that avoiding cardiac disease is their best option for a long life with loved ones. His commitment to making Houston a safer, stronger community is proof he’s the right person for the role. We’re looking forward to seeing incredible results from this year’s Heart Walk campaign and hope the community will join us in making it a success.”
The Heart Association is a global leader in resuscitation science, education and training, and the official publisher of CPR guidelines. Through the Nation of Lifesavers™ movement, the Association is working to ensure that more people are ready to perform CPR and be a vital link in the chain of survival, supporting its goal of doubling the survival rate from out-of-hospital cardiac arrests by 2030.
The Houston Heart Walk will take place on 24 October 2026 at TMC Helix Park. An estimated 10,000 participants are expected to walk in celebration of local survivors and the lifesaving progress made in Houston. Companies interested in participating can contact local vice president of Heart Walk, Tracie Morden at Tracie.Morden@heart.org Learn more and register at houstonheartwalk.org
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About the American Heart Association
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.
For Media Inquiries:
Dion Bart; Dion.Bart@heart.org
For Public Inquiries: 1-800-AHA-USA1 (242-8721)
