CINCINNATI (December 8, 2025) – The Christ Hospital Health Network, in partnership Margaret Mary Health, Rotary Club and additional community foundation partners, will deliver 74 Automatic External Defibrillators (AEDs) to law enforcement agencies in Ripley and Franklin counties in Indiana. In total, $148,000 was raised as part of Phase IV of Project Heart ReStart.
The donation event was held at Margaret Mary Health on Monday, December 8 at 3:00 p.m. in Batesville Indiana. Speakers included Debbie Hayes, President & CEO of The Christ Hospital Health Network, Liz Leising, President & CEO of Margaret Mary Health, Steve King, Member of Rotary Club of Cincinnati, Amy Streator and Shelly Lunsford, Executive Directors of community foundation partners and more.
Donors to Phase IV of Project Heart ReStart include, The Christ Hospital Health Network, Margaret Mary Health, Ripley County Community Foundation, Franklin County Community Foundation, Franklin County Health Department, Ripley County Health Department, Zoll, Cintas, The City of Batesville and numerous community donors.
Project Heart ReStart began supplying AEDs in law enforcement vehicles in 2023 shortly after the Damar Hamlin cardiac arrest in Cincinnati. In Phase I of Project Heart ReStart, the committee, along with Rotary Club of Cincinnati, Zoll, Cintas, Hamilton County Commissioners, all Cincinnati-based hospital systems and community donors, raised $260,000 to purchase 130 AEDs for all deputy cruisers for the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office.
Through four phases of Project Heart ReStart, the committee has raised more than $1 million to purchase nearly 500 AEDs in Hamilton County, Ohio, Boone, Kenton, Campbell, Pendleton, Grant, Mason, Robertson and Gallatin counties in Kentucky with the addition of Ripley and Franklin counties in Indiana. Having an AED for our first responders on the scene of a cardiac event increases the survival rate from 10% to 40%.
About The Christ Hospital Health Network
The Christ Hospital Health Network consists of an acute care hospital located in Mt. Auburn, a remote hospital location in Liberty Township, five ambulatory outpatient centers and dozens of medical offices throughout the region. For more than 135 years, The Christ Hospital has provided compassionate care to those it serves. Made up of more than 1,300 physicians and 7,200 team members, our mission is to improve the health of our community by providing exceptional outcomes in an affordable way. The Network was recognized by U.S. News & World Report as the #1 hospital in the Cincinnati Region and named to Newsweek’s World’s Best Hospitals list in 2025.
About Margaret Mary Health
Located in Batesville, Indiana, Margaret Mary Health is a not-for-profit, critical-access hospital providing both inpatient and outpatient services. Employing nearly 800 team members, the hospital has grown to include oncology, orthopedic, rehab services, and primary and minor care services in nearby communities. MMH serves a population of more than 65,000 residents in Ripley, Franklin and surrounding counties. To learn more about our services, visit mmhealth.org.