Lorrel E.B. Toft, M.D., F.A.C.C.
By: Tabnie Dozier
A loved one or colleague is suffering cardiac arrest…are you ready to respond and help save their life? This is a daunting but realistic scenario that affects thousands of Americans every year. Lorrel Toft, MD is working to educate the majority of us, non-medical professionals, to be able to effectively preform hands-only CPR through her company. “CardiacSTAR was birthed first out of my clinical experience as a critical care cardiologist in Kentucky. I had many patients who suffered cardiac arrest and their bodies survived, but brains did not. Many of these patients had not received CPR before paramedics arrived. I was doing all I could once they were in the hospital, but it was clear we needed an intervention long before they ever arrived in my ICU,” Dr. Toft explains.
The Brand’s Heartbeat
Dr. Toft started teaching CPR in Kentucky area high schools. After more research, she teamed up with a well-known British film director to create a first-in-the-US interactive and realistic film to teach CPR to high school students. That work led to a National Institute of Health grant to grow and improve her team’s methods, as she details, “We created CardiacSTAR, which is a “serious game” that teaches CPR by immersing people in a realistic cardiac arrest experience. For too long, our CPR training has focused only on mechanics. CardiacSTAR not only teaches mechanics, but it provides EMOTIONAL preparation for the very emotional and stressful experience of performing CPR. Research tells us that most cardiac arrests happen at home – which means if you are called upon to perform CPR, it will likely be on someone you know and love, not a stranger.”
The California native spent dedicated years in the Derby City. She now resides in Reno, Nevada, teaching at the University of Nevada, Reno and working at Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center. “Louisville is where this all began for me! If not for my time in Louisville and the incredible partnership with Dr. Bill Dillon and others in the community who supported my vision, I never would have found my way to this chapter. I will be forever grateful for my 5 years at UofL where this dream began.”
Keeping the Knowledge Flowing
CardiacSTAR is a woman-owned business that focuses on providing high quality CPR training to communities that don’t have access to other CPR training. Toft’s team works with high schools along with multiple foundations to make sure this training reaches communities with less exposure to these critical skills. “Our program is unique in that access is very affordable, allowing instructors, trainers, or just motivated individuals to assemble a group and go through CPR training for way less than competitors. While we are intended for group CPR training, anyone can pay $25 for 48hr of access to our suite of training films. Even a family or work group can come together to learn CPR. We want as many people as possible to have access to this 30-minute CPR training, which is why we have tried to eliminate the time and financial barriers,” Toft tells us.
With CardiacSTAR, you won’t be bored and simply taking notes, Toft says you’ll learn something new while feeling empowered to save a life. She’s aiming for the stars (see what we did there) for 2026! With hopes of leveraging trusted partners to increase CPR training nationwide, enlisting top-notch CPR instructors who will use CardiacSTAR in their businesses and communities, plus building more partnerships with influential organizations and charities.
Dreaming and Doing
“I am a clinical cardiologist and professor, meaning I do both clinical work (taking care of patients in the hospital and clinic) as well as research. I love having varied elements to my work – sometimes in the hospital, sometimes in the clinic, and sometimes doing my research or writing grants. Variety keeps me excited and passionate about how I can impact health in a big way,” Toft says.
Her company is mission-minded and while running a business that travels and educates various demographics isn’t easy, every decision is made with serving people first and that’s a marvelous testament to her team’s success and dedication. Toft hopes that other women who have passions in their hearts will take the bold step to give their hopes a try. “DREAM BIG. And let your dreams evolve. I never imagined I would be a CEO or business owner – I was a physician first, and researcher second. But through the natural course of my work, I developed a passion for CPR training. And the opportunity to turn it into a business arose, so I learned all I could from every opportunity presented, learned to be decisive about everything from brand colors to marketing strategy, and moved forward with utmost confidence that we are bringing something good into the world, Toft states proudly.
Brave. Community-centered. Educational. Supportive. Dr. Lorrel Toft is pumping energy, intellect and joy into an important component of public safety. You can follow CardiacSTAR and keep up with the growth on Instagram and Facebook. Visit their website to request your organization’s training session and learn more about their life-saving efforts.
