LaDainian Tomlinson to Promote Heart Awareness in San Diego

The player that many fans view as the best running back in the NFL on Friday signed with a new team. LaDainian Tomlinson has agreed to work with Palomar Pomerado Health (PPH) to promote heart awareness in the San Diego Community. Tomlinson and PPH have teamed to create the Project21SD program according to a press release from Palomar Pomerado Health.

This project will work to get professional organizations to work together when dealing with health issues. The program will form a group that will try to promote choices that are health conscious for children and families alike while also discussing ways on how to battle preventable diseases. They will then develop action plans to put their ideas into action on the field of life like Tomlinson does with gameplans on the football field.

One of the first programs Project21SD will work on is called "Dial Don't Drive". This program will emphasize the importance of using the 911 phone number when someone is having a heart attack. Quite often instead of calling 911, a friend or relative drives the person that is having the heart attack to the hospital. This wastes precious time when dealing with the damage a heart attack can inflict.

The campaign will emphasize how response time is important and how the emergency response crews in an ambulance will be able to start treatment on a heart attack victim at the location and try to stablize them to some degree before taking a patient to the hospital. They can also have the hospital be prepared for their arrival and ready for the patient, which is not the case if the patient arrives via other means to the hospital. When having a heart attack time is crucial, and this campaign will emphasize that fact.

Tomlinson set an all-time NFL record for rushing touchdowns with 31 last season in the NFL with the San Diego Chargers as he guided them to a 14-2 season and a playoff birth. Last season he won the NFL's rushing title with 1,815 rushing yards, and had a total combined yards from scrimmage of 2,323 yards which was the sixth highest in NFL history. Tomlinson was named the Associated Press MVP for the NFL last season. He has his own personal foundation called the "Tomlinson's Touching Lives Foundation", which helps needy families and children enjoy the holiday season with meals and presents for the children.

Palomar Pomerado Health is located in California's largest public health district. They organization is recognized for their comprehensive response system for health related emergencies in North County.

SOURCES:

Prnewswire.com "San Diego Chargers' Running Back LaDainian Tomlinson Joins New Team- Palomar Pomerado Health".
URL: http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=ind_focus.story&STORY=/www/story/07-26-2007/0004632969&EDATE=THU+Jul+26+2007,+03:00+AM