The Ray of Life Foundation arose from the tragic and untimely death of Raymond Roberts Jacobson MD at the age of 39 yrs-old from Sudden Cardiac Death. Ray Jacobson was a healer. He believed in saving the world...one life at a time. Dr. Jacobson's death at 39 represents the hundreds of thousands of parents, children, siblings and grandparents who die each year in this country from cardiac arrest. The Ray of Life Foundation is about saving lives. It is about making sure that the people we love will continue to be there in our lives to cherish and adore, to bathe in the love and warmth we feel for them. In other words, The Ray of Life Foundation exists to help realize the hopes and goals of the person in whose name it exists.
Ray Jacobson was a San Clemente ER Physician who spend his far-too-brief life trying to save lives. Beyond his mission, though, he was a person who many of you knew and whom I wish many more of you would have known. I'm a bit biased, of course, but here are some facts that if you knew him you knew we're not in dispute:
Ray was a special guy, a stand up guy. He always did what he said he was going to do. He stood by his word no matter what.
Ray wasn't driven by ego. In fact, if you didn't know he was a doctor, you wouldn't have guessed because he never introduced himself as "Dr." Jacobson.
Ray was just another guy in shorts and tennis shoes.
Ray cared about God, his family, USC, fishing and golf...in that order!
Ray was a dreamer (just like me!)
Ray could change your life. Here's some of the ways he changed mine:
Ray's sudden death gave me determination and courage I never knew I possessed.
As I traveled through the tunnel of grief at his loss, I was tumbled and tossed...but my focus remained steadfast. And the reason for that came from him.
He made me want to be a better person. Even with my shortcomings, he had this uncanny ability to make me feel like the good guy no matter what the situation. I would come home and tell him something silly I had said or done and somehow he always made it "OK" for me.
He was a man who opened up his arms and said "hey, I want us to be a family -- all four dogs, two cats, all your Hollywood baggage and your four-year old son, I want him to be mine! Ray not only welcomed a relationship with my existing family, he embraced it and we became a better family with him in it.
As we continue to push forward with the Ray of Life Foundation-- and if we can spare but one family the devastation left after the loss of a loved one to Sudden Cardiac Death-- then we'll be translating Ray's hopes into reality.
His hopes in knowing that brain death can be delayed by early defibrillation.
His hopes in knowing that early defibrillation can mean the difference between life and death.
His hopes in knowing that when Sudden Cardiac strikes, defibrillation will be only seconds away.
And beyond his hopes, we will be working for Ray's ultimate goal, as a physician and as a man:
Together We Can and We Will Save Lives. Fight on!
With Love and Light, Helena
What we do...
The mission of the Ray of Life Foundation is to save lives by the public placement of Automated External Defibrillator (AEDs). AEDs are small portable devices that can quickly detect abnormal heart rhythms. The device is automated and provides directions to layperson or first responders so they can safely deliver an electrical shock to restore the heart to a normal rhythm. AEDs save lives. We place AEDs where people are most likely to work, live and gather for social and recreational activities. We promote public awareness and educate citizens about the dangers of sudden cardiac arrest and the only treatment, defibrillation. We enlist support from decision and policy makers in making our mission a priority for the community. We extend our training services to all community members, businesses and first responders by providing CPR/AED and basic life support training at an affordable cost. We seek charitable donations so that we may continue to donate AEDs to organizations who need them but cannot afford them. We sell AEDs and AED accessories at the lowest possible price so that additional AEDs will be readily available for those who fall victim to sudden cardiac arrest.
You should know...
Sudden Cardiac Death is a sudden, unexpected death caused by loss of heart function due to an electrical disturbance. It is the largest cause of natural death in the United States. The most common cause of Sudden Cardiac Arrest is undiagnosed heart disease. Smoking and family history are the next two most common causes of cardiovascular disease. Obesity, diabetes and recreational drug abuse are the next most common causes of Sudden Cardiac Arrest. Sudden Cardiac Death occurs most frequently in adults in their mid-30s to mid 40s, and affects men twice as often as women. Yet one out of every two women will die from cardiovascular disease. Heart Disease is the number one killer in the United States and robs us of more then 1,100,000 loved one each year. In fact, more then 1,200 people die every day in this country from Sudden Cardiac Arrest. SCA claims six times as many lives as car accidents in the United States. Every 42 seconds another person dies in the United States from cardiac arrest. In the United States between 7,000 to 10,000 young people die each year from Sudden Cardiac Arrest. According to OSHA, fifteen percent (15%) of all work related fatalities are a result of Sudden Cardiac Arrest. The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute paid for a study that proves AEDs more then double the chance of survival from Sudden Cardiac Arrest. When Sudden Cardiac Arrest happens in young people, it occurs during exercise 41% of the time and in adults 17% of the time. According to the CDC more then 462,000 Americans die each year from Sudden Cardiac Arrest. For each minute that passes without defibrillation, the chance of survival decreases by 10%. Doctor's offices, community centers, sporting events, fitness centers, shopping malls, golf courses,Ferris, trains, planes, airports, nursing homes and the workplace represent the ten most common locations for Sudden Cardiac Arrest. American Airlines installed AEDS in their aircraft in 1996, since then sixty-six (66) lives have been saved because of those AEDs. Survival for Cardiac Arrest is time-dependent. The average survival rate from Sudden Cardiac Arrest is a dismal 5% nationally.
Making a Donation
Please send your Tax-Deductible lifesaving donation to:
The Ray of Life Foundation 25422 Trabuco Rd, Suite 105-477, Lake Forest, CA 92630
