When Waller and I began discussing what we could do to fight gun violence while in the hospital following the shooting, partnering to host Stop the Bleed sessions wasn’t even on our radar. We were solely focused on preventing more gun deaths.

Fast forward nearly five months, and that goal of reducing gun deaths, still stands paramount. In fact, when we release our strategic priorities in the coming month, our commitment to that goal will be evident. However, the value of this partnership is significant and after learning more about Stop the Bleed, it became an obvious first step for Whitney/Strong.

I was introduced to this program by UC Hospital during my second surgery following the shooting. As Trauma One Centers, both UC and UofL Hospitals are focused on injury prevention programs, one of which is Stop the Bleed. I was surprised to learn that the top three types of trauma in Cincinnati and Louisville are car accidents, gun violence, and falls. With Stop the Bleed, both hospitals provide free and empowering training that teaches laypeople how to stop bleeding caused by trauma and save lives.

I’ve had several “goosebump” moments since my introduction to this program.

As soon as I moved from the revolving door to the flagpole on 9/6, a tourniquet was applied to my right arm. Lucky me! Not only did law enforcement pull me out of danger, but they knew the simple life-saving steps taught to them through Stop the Bleed.
After participating in a training session last month, I learned you can only stop bleeding that occurs in extremities... think arms and legs. Lucky me! The majority of bullets hit my right arm - perfect for applying a tourniquet!

And one “heart drop” moment.

Stop the Bleed originated after the heartbreaking Sandy Hook school shooting. One trauma surgeon found himself distraught learning the loss of life could have been reduced had first responders known the simple life-saving techniques.

Needless to say, this training is important to me. So, we will fight gun violence but first, let’s empower each other to save lives!

For more information and to register for the Louisville and Cincinnati workshops visit https://www.whitneystrong.org/workshops/

If you cannot attend due to schedule conflicts or a session is booked, please follow these instructions to request a free session for your employer, place of warship, school, community group, etc.

Cincinnati: Contact Regina Menninger at regina.menninger@uchealth.com

Louisville: Visit uoflhospital.org/Stop-Bleed