Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Donated equipment could save lives
A foundation set up in 2016 by Coatbridge-based Dunbeth FC, which aims to provide defibrillators to sports clubs around Scotland, has been donated two machines from a first aid charity.
St Andrew’s First Aid, Scotland’s only dedicated first aid charity, donated the life-saving equipment to the Foundation, which was set up following the tragic death of 13-year-old Airdrie boy Kieran Mcdade during a football training session, when he suffered a cardiac arrest.
The move comes as the charity’s volunteers have been proactively engaging with community groups, clubs and other good causes who would benefit from an onsite defibrillator, after the charity was donated 32 of them by a housing developer.
The Foundation thanked St Andrew’s First Aid and plans to continue providing support through raising awareness on the importance of CPR and the use of defibrillators.
Martin Holmes, founder of the Kieran Mcdade Foundation, said: “We are so grateful to St Andrew’s First Aid for their donation. We set up this foundation to avoid more parents going through what Kieran’s family did and, to date, we have managed to distribute 109 defibrillators to local football teams and some clubs in Ireland and England.
“After the recent Christian Eriksen incident at the Euros, it has become even clearer that there is a need for defibrillators at all sporting events, facilities and public buildings. They should be mandatory and if this equipment saves just one life, then it is worth it.
“Thank you again to St Andrew’s First Aid. It is an honour to be associated with an organisation that is fighting for the same cause.”
Stuart Callison, chief executive of St Andrew’s First Aid, added: “As a charity focused on ensuring that no-one dies from needing first aid and not receiving it, this donation is very close to us.
“It will help the Kieran Mcdade Foundation in their own ambitions to ensure thousands of people around Scotland have access to a defibrillator to assist in saving the life of anyone who may need it. When used within three minutes of a person suffering a cardiac arrest, chances of survival are increased by more than 70 per cent.”