The CPR Lady (Part 2)

By Gina Mayfield

Dr. Brown tells her story in her own words, below.

Why did you become an instructor?
My mother, who was a trauma nurse in a hospital emergency room, started me with the American Heart Association when I was 16 years old. I fell in love with CPR. There was something about hope. And then I started hearing so many people say, “My grandmother, died. She collapsed, and we called for help, and they just didn’t get there in time.” And I couldn’t take it. I was like, Katherine, you’ve got an opportunity to teach people that didn’t do anything, they just stood there, because they didn’t know that there was something that they could do. And that’s when I left my position at an inner-city hospital and opened up the CPR company.

Dr. Brown holding a book she wrote
Dr. Brown with her book, I Am Courageous

How long have you been involved with the American Heart Association and in what capacities have you served?
Well, like I said, since the age of 16 as a volunteer. I have been the Southeastern Region Community Service Chair and the Southeastern Region Advocacy Chair. I’ve been on that the government team for Tennessee. I’ve done the Go Red for Women campaign. I’ve been a training center faculty member. I serve on the AHA’s Emergency Cardiovascular Care (ECC) Committee. I’m the current Lay Rescuer CPR Chair for the National ECC Committee. I’m on an AHA writing group. I do a lot for my Nashville AHA office. I’ve done the Minority Health committees. I’m currently on a National Diversity Leadership Committee for the AHA. I just got appointed to the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) on their diversity task force. It’s a lot of things – local, regional and national.

Are you involved with a specific training site?
The world is my literally training center. Remember, you don’t have to be aligned with anybody just to teach. I went to Medellin, Columbia. Guess what I took on the plane with me? CPR manikin. Same with Johannesburg, South Africa. That’s how I’ve ended up teaching so many people. I just feel that everyone really, really needs to know CPR.

Tell us about your approach to CPR training.
Be fearless and be innovative, that’s my approach. And I’m not afraid of people. So remember, most instructors say, “I’m going to host a class at this location.” But why are you waiting for people to come to you? If there’s a group of people congregated, that’s your class. I’m just going to disrupt with a “Heyyyyy…” You will usually get a “yes” if you just have the courage to make the ask.

Do you have any best practices you would like to share, anything unique that can be replicated or utilized by others?
If I approach someone about learning CPR, and they say no, I don’t take the no instantly. I’ll say, “Tell me why.” They’ll likely explain to me that they don’t want to hurt anyone. So I’ll say, “Can I share with you a simple math problem? What is death plus death? They say, “Death.” I’m like, “Yeah, it is, so what’s death plus CPR? Sounds like a chance, right?” They’ll say, “Yeah.” So I say, “Do you think people deserve a chance? If something happened to you, would you want a chance? Everybody wants a chance. I’m just asking you to trust me for a few minutes and let me show you. That’s it. If you don’t want to push, let me explain it to you first and show you.” Then I teach them. And I say, “Now, can you put your hand here for me, you don’t have to push, just let me show you.” It’s just a slow progression. Don’t forget to do this in your own families as well.

What specific training do you offer?
Early on, seeing those emergency rooms where my mother worked, I felt that sometimes the cost of being trained was a barrier, because instructors have to charge, but everybody doesn’t have money. Saving a life is priceless. You couldn’t put a price tag on it. So, around 2008, when the AHA really came out with that push for Hands-Only CPR, it really gave me a different tool, a different arsenal. I just feel like it’s hope in the darkest communities. And I do CPR classes. I do the Healthcare Professional class as well as the Heartsaver class, both the First Aid and AED. But the majority of my work is with people who can’t pay me, people who might never take a CPR class. They’re the people who will take a moment to give me those 15 minutes of their life so they can go back into their communities and make a difference.

Do you utilize any community products?
I do. The AHA produces community products. That’s what I specialize in. I have a video of me teaching Hands-Only CPR on the AHA website. I also do the CPR Anytime Kits, I do the Essential Eight. But I feel like CPR is just one tool, and it’s reactive. So I try be proactive by reminding people to make sure they lower their salt intake and get their blood pressure checked. It’s easy to integrate those things into my classes. And anytime AHA comes out with something new, I use it. I think that we have to equip and empower our communities in very innovative ways, so I try not to miss opportunities. I always tell people, download the AHA app. Sign up for the You’re the Cure network, because you can get the advocacy alerts in your community. These are simple things the average instructor isn’t doing. The AHA website is a never-ending reservoir of knowledge.

What barriers to learning CPR do we as instructors have to break down?
Another best practice for me is Don’t let money be a barrier. There are a lot of instructors saying, “I have to charge this amount or that amount.” You know what? That life that you save by reducing that cost, or having a time where you offer so many classes at no charge, will be a blessing to other people. People ask me, “Why are you so successful in CPR? We’ve never met somebody like you who’s trained over 300,000 people for free, around the world. I say because I focus on people. People matter. As long as you keep people at the core of what you do, you could do almost anything. That’s the key. I think instructors need to realize that, to put people first. Always remember why you became an instructor.

Any advice for someone else who notices the need for a new trail to be blazed?
You know your community best. Listen and do what your community needs. Focus on that. What works for me in the places I serve, nationally and internationally, might not work in your community. The work we do is tough. You’ve got to be resilient. If you put out a registration form and host a class, and no one shows up, do it again. We give up too soon. I’ve been teaching CPR thirty-something years, and the AHA is 100 years old, and the message hasn’t changed. We’re still fighting. Keep showing up.

What motivates you?
I can’t guarantee that if you perform CPR, your loved one will survive. I can’t guarantee that the stranger you try to help will make it, but I just want to teach people and encourage them to give somebody a chance. Just give them a chance. All of my children are involved in this work, because it really makes a difference.

Favorite AHA events?
Listen, I just got to go to Chicago for the AHA centennial anniversary celebration. I had a dream come true because I got to dance with Nancy Brown while they were playing Stayin’ Alive! That was my favorite event in the world. That will never happen again. But I do love Heart Walks too.

What was your most memorable experience as an instructor?
I was teaching a Boy Scout troop, and this mother came in and said, “Dr. Katherine, that’s the baby.” I was like, “What? What baby?” Turns out, I had taught this mother while she was pregnant with the son I was currently teaching. I love seeing generations. Another time, I taught a granddaughter, mother and a grandmother who was 100 years old doing CPR for the first time in her life.

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