A newly donated AED will go a long way to ensuring that the wellbeing of the local Sacred Heart College community is looked after, principal Maria Neville-Foster says.

The AED (Automated External Defibrillator) was gifted by St John and ASB at a special ceremony attended by staff, students, and community members, last month.

Wellbeing Leaders Indira Moffatt and Ashleigh Madams, along with Community Leader Leticia Windsor, wrote a letter requesting an AED after realising the closest one was located at the Napier Port.

“The defibrillator will provide Sacred Heart College and our wider community on the hill support in case of an emergency,” Leticia says.

“This links in with our 2022 focus; ‘Community in Mission’ as the defibrillator will be accessible for everyone around the college. This increases the community spirit as well as people feeling safer knowing we have easier access to one.”

“We are actively trying to engage with our community by making stronger connections and understand how we as a school can help and support them. We strongly believe the wellbeing of our community is important and something to consider when making major decisions.”

Mrs Neville-Foster says the school community personally knows the positive impact an AED can have on a person’s life.

“We know how important it is to have easy access to AEDs in our community because last year one of our whanau’s lives was saved by the device.

“Therefore, it was really important for us to be able to look after not only the Sacred Heart community but the wider Mataruahou (Napier hill) community, so if ever needed, we too could save a life.”

She thanked St John and ASB for the incredibly kind donation, which came almost a year to the day Alyssa Lee’s dad, Tane, needed a defibrillator during the early hours of the morning.

The Year 11 student attended along with her mum Katrina Lee.

“My husband is one of the lucky ones. So, for me to be here and part of the school to celebrate is really nice.

“If we can save one more life out of that machine, then to me that is the most rewarding thing out of all this. We are all proud of this school.”

St John Deputy Chief Executive for Community Health Services &Iwi Engagement, Sarah Manley, attended the gifting ceremony and was pleased to talk to some of the students about the benefits of young people learning CPR, as well as having an AED in place at their school.

“St John's role is to both react to emergencies and prevent them from happening in our communities,” she says.

“Given that our latest OHCA report shows over 2000 people suffered a cardiac arrest in New Zealand last year, we do want to see more children and young people learning CPR and basic first aid.

“This is why our Ngā Tohu Whakaora e 3 (3 Steps for Life) programme is so valuable. It allows anyone who has done a free course to step forward when help is needed and increase cardiac arrest survival rates in their local community.”

Article added: Wednesday 15 June 2022