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LIFE-SAVING DONATION: LOCAL PRIMARY TAKES DELIVERY OF NEW DEFIBRILLATOR FROM BLACKPOOL COMPETITIONS COMPANY
Headteacher highlights importance of keeping eight year-old pupil safe with life-saving device.
A local headteacher has underlined the importance of having defibrillators close at hand in schools after her primary was donated one to protect a young pupil’s life.
Stanah Primary took delivery of a new defibrillator from local business Elite Competitions and used the opportunity to explain their vital role in keeping children and staff safe.
The Thornton-Cleveleys school is attended by eight year-old Alba Butler who has a congenital heart condition, which can cause cardiac arrest. This September, Alba moved from the school's infants section to the juniors in a different building - leaving headteacher Rachel Legge with a dilemma.
Rachel explained: “With two buildings, we had to move the defibrillator to whichever one Alba was in. Rachel explained: “With two buildings, we had to move the defibrillator to whichever one Alba was in.
The likelihood of something happening to a child is that it would happen to Alba. She is at high risk, but it could be a staff member or another child who needs it. So, we needed to cover both buildings. Having two defibrillators means we’re never more than a minute away from one.
“If you can get a defib to somebody who needs one within three minutes, then their chances of survival are far higher. It's really key that you get that defib to them within a short space of time. When you're phoning an ambulance, looking after a child or staff member, and finding a defibrillator, that can be quite logistically difficult. And across a split site, even more so.”
Popular Alba was born at 39 weeks in Liverpool Women's Hospital and immediately needed a heart procedure, so was rushed to Alder Hey Children's Hospital without her parents even touching her.
Speaking to Elite Competitions at Stanah Primary, her mother Alejandra Butler recalled: “They put her heart and lungs on a bypass straight away. Then she suffered loads of complications, so many complications. We lived in Alder Hey for five and a half months without being able to hold her.”
Elite Competitions donated the new defibrillator to Stanah Primary after it heard about the school’s fundraising efforts to buy one. The school’s campaign had raised £900 before Elite Competitions stepped in to provide it with a £1,500 hi-tech Mediana AED device.
Alejandra added: “Alba needs more surgery within the next few years of her life. Hopefully she'll never collapse and have a cardiac arrest but, because her anatomy is a little bit different, it's essential that we've got a defibrillator close by at all times. I don't go anywhere without knowing really where the nearest defibrillator is. I research. It's really important I always know where the nearest defib is, and so does the school.
“This defibrillator brings reassurance and peace of mind for everyone working at Stanah that they've got one in both buildings now, and they’re accessible to all in that school. Anyone could need it. You just never know.”
Describing her daughter, Alejandra said: “Alba is bright, intelligent, popular, very loving, very caring and loves dancing. She does dancing competitions and places first, second and third. We were told she wouldn’t walk. But here she is, not only walking but with the most beautiful pointed ballet toes.”
The £900 raised by the school’s JustGiving page will now be spent on maintaining each of its defibrillator’s pads and batteries. Rachel said: “We are very grateful to Elite Competitions for the donation. It means we have money to go on other resources. And, of course, it gives all of our staff great peace of mind.”
Alex Beckett, managing director of Elite Competitions, said: “When we heard about Stanah’s fundraising efforts and Alba’s story, we knew we wanted to get involved straight away. If providing this defibrillator helps the school act faster in an emergency and brings peace of mind to families, that’s exactly the kind of local impact we want to have.”
The donation forms part of Elite Contributions - Elite Competitions’ ongoing programme that gives back to local communities, supports people in need and funds random acts of kindness.