The International Swimming Hall of Fame will host a Conference on Near-Death Experiences While Drowning on August 18 at its headquarters in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Presenters at this conference will discuss near-death experience (NDE) characteristics that a successfully resuscitated drowning casualty might report, as well as offer accounts of NDE experiences and recommendations for how water safety and other healthcare professionals can use NDE-related information in their work. Conference presenters will include: Bruce Wigo, ISHOF president and CEO; Stathis Avramidis, Ph.D, Hellenic Centre for Disease Control and Prevention; Janice Miner Holden, Ed.D, professor of counseling and chair of the Department of Counseling and Higher Education at the University of North Texas; and Audrey C. Dalton, survivor of a drowning incident.
ISHOF offered a well-received symposium on a similar topic several years ago, which motivated the organization to continue offering educational opportunities about NDEs, said Wigo. “Any time you can bring attention to this issue of drowning/near drowning and the need for swimming, it brings awareness to the value of [swimming],” he said. “It’s not just a sport, it’s a life skill.”
