St John holds its annual appeal
This month, St John is asking the public to show their “hearts of gold” by donating to its Heart of Gold Annual Appeal.
As a charity, St John relies on the generosity of the public to help fund its emergency ambulance service to ensure it continues to deliver its crucial lifesaving work throughout the country.
Auckland teenager Cameron Davies was given a 1 per cent chance of surviving after he was knocked off his bike by a driver who ran a stop sign and thrust him onto the path of an oncoming vehicle.
Thanks to the quick actions of St John’s 111 call centre, the emergency call handler paged off-duty medical director Dr Tony Smith, who lived nearby the crash site. Dr Smith raced down to help Cameron, alongside the crew of ambulance officers. Cameron was deeply unconscious, barely breathing and was showing signs of bleeding into his brain. Dr Smith and the ambulance crew performed a procedure called Rapid Sequence Intubation, to take over Cameron’s breathing and protect his brain, before transporting him to Auckland City Hospital for immediate emergency brain surgery, giving the teen the best possible chance of survival.
“Cameron is alive because of a system which cares for patients of major trauma from the beginning of their 111 call through to their hospital rehabilitation,” says Dr Smith.
A year on from the incident, after relearning to swallow, talk, walk and cycle again, an emotional reunion was had between Cameron and the St John crews that saved his life.
Cameron’s mother, Yvette Davies, says the family will always be thankful to St John for saving her son.
“We are humbled by their compassion, respect and wisdom but most of all, their chosen careers, which have such an enormous impact on lives. For this, we will always be in their debt and forever grateful.”
St John provides emergency ambulance services to nearly 90 per cent of New Zealanders in 97 per cent of the country’s geographic locations. Each year, the organisation comes to the aid of almost half a million patients and runs a wide range of community health services to support people living healthy, resilient and safe lives. This year, funds raised through the St John Heart of Gold Annual Appeal will go towards the purchase of new emergency ambulance vehicles and equipment, to ensure St John can continue to provide help when needed.
■ Show your heart of gold today by donating to the St John Heart of Gold Annual Appeal online at heartofgold.org.nz, by calling 0800 ST JOHN, or at any ASB branch.