Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) strikes without warning, often affecting young, healthy people under 50 – with devastating consequences.

In Australia, around 3,000 young people experience SCA each year, but fewer than 10% survive. Families face lifelong medical, psychological, and financial impacts – but many struggle to access the care they need due to gaps in coordination, fragmented services, and persistent health inequities. A ground breaking collaboration between researchers from the Garvan Institute of Medical Research, the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, and St Vincent’s is working to change this.

Together with families and health professionals, we are leading IMPROVE-SCA – a national program designed to transform how young SCA patients and their families are diagnosed, supported and cared for.

We are co-designing a virtual care model that integrates diagnosis, genetic testing, cardiac monitoring, psychological support and care coordination – so that no family is left to navigate this journey alone. By embedding equity into every step, IMPROVE-SCA will ensure all Australians, regardless of location or background, have access to world-class, compassionate care following SCA.

This is research with heart – driven by a shared commitment to saving lives and improving outcomes for every family affected.