Inova Health System Partners With Girls on the Run to Offer CPR Training

Falls Church, VA – (October 3, 2010) — Nurses from Inova HealthSource are teaching cardiopulmonary resuscitation or CPR to coaches from Girls on the Run of Northern Virginia (GOTR NOVA), a curriculum-based youth development program for girls in the third through eighth grades that educates and prepares participants for a lifetime of self-respect and healthy living.

“At Inova, we’re committed to children’s health, so partnering with a community-based organization like Girls on the Run truly furthers our mission to provide education and wellness training for the people we serve,” said Anne Rieger, RN, MBA, Assistant Vice President, Community Safety Net, Inova Health System. “Girls on the Run encourages the health and well-being of young girls, so it was natural for our two organizations to partner on a life-saving matter like CPR training.”  “Having a partner like Inova provides GOTR NOVA with great confidence that our coaches are well-prepared to safely deliver our program. Like Inova, GOTR NOVA is committed to the health and well-being of the girls of Northern Virginia,” said Catherine Keightley, Executive Director, Girls on the Run of Northern Virginia.

Girls on the Run of Northern Virginia currently serves 200 public and private schools across Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William and Stafford counties, as well as Alexandria City, Falls Church, Manassas City and Manassas Park public school systems. Inova expects to train up to 150 GOTR coaches, providing ongoing training and resources to GOTR instructors as needed.

“The CPR training through Inova was efficient and informative. I definitely left feeling confident that I could properly perform CPR if the need ever arises,” said GOTR NOVA Coach Stephanie Wright, Douglas MacArthur Elementary School. “The instructors were great, personable and very knowledgeable.”

For more information about Girls on the Run of Northern Virginia, visit www.gotrnova.org.

Girls on the Run of Northern Virginia (a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization) offers a curriculum-based youth development program for girls in the third through eighth grades. The goal of the program is to educate and prepare girls for a lifetime of self-respect and healthy living. The curriculum is delivered in 10-week sessions by volunteer coaches who have been trained by GOTR NOVA and culminates in a celebratory 5K running event.

Inova Health System is a not-for-profit healthcare system based in Northern Virginia that consists of hospitals and other health services, including emergency- and urgent-care centers, home care, nursing homes, mental health and blood donor services, and wellness classes. Governed by a voluntary board of community members, Inova’s mission is to improve the health of the diverse community it serves through excellence in patient care, education and research. Inova provides a healthy environment for its patients, families, visitors, staff and physicians by prohibiting tobacco use on its campuses.