As a Pitt athlete, Ellie Breech had been required to take CPR classes after Pitt alum Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest in 2023 while playing an NFL game. So, when her father’s heart suddenly stopped later that year on Christmas Day, Breech was ready to save his life.
Since then, she’s made it her mission to ensure others are ready, too.
That day was a turning point for Breech, who began to reorient her studies around a newfound passion for health. She decided to pursue a natural sciences degree in the College of General Studies, allowing her to take a greater variety of courses and prepare to enter medical school. She also took on a role as a patient care technician at UPMC Shadyside, where she found an environment that reminds her of the camaraderie of the soccer pitch.
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