Health and Wellness

For Kate Reuter, APNP, at Grant Regional Community Clinic, American Heart Month carries even more meaning to her and her family. As a family nurse practitioner, she has dedicated her career to caring for others and educating patients about chronic disease prevention and healthy living. With no warning signs or prior history of heart disease, she never imagined she would experience a sudden cardiac arrest herself. In a matter of moments, she went from provider to patient—fighting for her own life.

Thankfully, when this happened, her son was by her side. He responded immediately and, because he had taken the time to learn CPR, he was ready to act. Physicians later explained that those first critical minutes before emergency responders arrived made all the difference. Without immediate CPR, the outcome could have been devastatingly different. Kate survived not only because of the advanced medical care she received, but because her son was prepared and confident enough to step in when it mattered most. It’s incredible to mention that only 1 in 10 people survive an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

Today, she is grateful to be recovering and back to doing all the things she loves. While she understood the statistics and risks as a healthcare professional, living through cardiac arrest reinforced a powerful truth: survival often depends on the person standing closest to you. Cardiac arrest can happen anywhere—at home, at work, at a sporting event, or in the grocery store—and immediate CPR can double or even triple a person’s chance of survival.

This February and beyond, she encourages everyone to learn CPR. You do not need medical training to save a life. Her son was not on duty; he was simply a loved one who knew what to do. Because of that knowledge, she is here today—to care for her patients, enjoy time with her family, and share her story. Learning CPR is more than a skill; it is a gift that can give someone a second chance at life.