Couple donate AED machine to The Pines

(CNS): Joram and Yaell Agar have responded to Cayman Heart Fund’s drive to get the length and breadth of the Cayman Islands fitted out with life-saving automated external defibrillator (AED) by donating an AED machine to The Pines retirement home to benefit the residents there. A release from the fund says the drive is in full swing, with businesses and organisations getting on board to ensure that their employees, customers and visitors have access to this vital medical equipment.

First launching its appeal at the beginning of January, the Cayman Heart Fund has been delighted with the interest so far. Various businesses, hotels, condominiums and parent/teacher associations have expressed interest in participating in this life-saving exercise and campaign.

Co-ordinating the drive are Fund’s directors Kevin Doyle and Dr Sook Yin with sole volunteer Lynette Chand, the widow of Ken Chand who lost his life last year to sudden cardiac arrest. Doyle and Dr Yin have sent out letters and Chand has followed up with calls to a cross-section of organisations island-wide. Two such respondents were Joram and Yaell Agar, clients of Higgs Johnson Truman Bodden & Co Attorneys-at-Law, who responded to the call for vital donations in order to buy much needed cardiac equipment, while the law firm also donated funds to Cayman Heart Fund in recognition of this worthy cause.

Philip Boni, who is a Partner at the firm, added his support to this initiative: “Higgs Johnson Truman Bodden & Co is committed to supporting such important projects for the benefit of our local community. We sincerely hope that this support, in the form of new cardiac equipment, goes some way towards saving lives in our islands. We are pleased to join Mr and Mrs Agar in supporting the Cayman Heart Fund.”

Sue Nicholson, who runs The Pines says: “We are immensely grateful to Mr and Mrs Agar for agreeing to sponsor this AED to be located at The Pines and to Higgs Johnson Truman Bodden & Co for their support. We sincerely hope that other members of the public, companies and organisations will follow their lead and sponsor other AEDs so they can be conveniently located at numerous points throughout the island. All the staff of The Pines are required to be trained in CPR and maintain up to date training. The Pines recognises the importance of a rapid response and treatment in the event that someone suffers a heart attack, whether it is a resident or member of staff or a member of the public, having an AED on the premises really increases the chances of survival of such an individual.”

Dr Yin, Medical Director of CHF and chair of this AED appeal applauds the initiative that local businesses such as Higgs Johnson Truman Bodden & Co have taken in supporting and promoting this life-saving campaign. She urges other businesses to support groups that cannot fundraise for themselves and says: “Buy one for your own business and staff, donate one to a worthy group. Each of us can do more to help everyone in our community. We have a growing list of interested and committed parties but I would like to see more parties coming forward and taking part in this landmark initiative that can make a difference between life and death!”

Dr Yin is appealing to the public and businesses who already own an AED machine to email her their details as to the locations of these AEDs so the Fund can compile a registry for the island and have this made public, as well as advising the emergency services, which will be invaluable advice for them.

If anyone would like more information on our AED initiative, please contact Dr Yin at palmhouse@candw.ky or Kevin Doyle at kevindoylecayman@btopenworld.com

(Left: Veronica Fierro and Vicki Chatfield both of Higgs Johnson Truman Bodden & Co present Dr Sook Yin of Cayman Heart Fund with a donation for a defibrillator at the Pines Retirement Home. They are pictured here with staff and residents from the Pines.)