The Team
Scheme Manager - Jo Michaelides
Clinical Director - Professor Tom Quinn FRCN FESC FAHA
Training Supervisor - Jo Michaelides and Joseph Mulae
Instructors - Jim Lawson, Joanna Michaelides, Keith Harris, Jill Channing, Leanne Eveson, Mark Raybould, Sally Nelson, Tania Barella, Jacqui Sellers, Helen Rendell
Helpers - Vicky Withington
The Back Story
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Heartstart Farnham Lions first opened its doors 10 years ago, with the intention of teaching emergency life support skills to as many Farnham residents as possible. It came about after founding member Keith Aston suffered a sudden cardiac arrest in the street in September 2009. Many people gathered, not knowing what to do, until a passer by stopped in her car and gave rescue breaths and CPR until the emergency services arrived. Keith survived, and was re-united with his rescuer, Joanna Michaelides, about 6 months later. They were both very concerned by the number of people who had no idea how to help - which was extremely traumatic for some of them. They resolved to help their wider community learn the simple skills that saved Keith, and with help from the South East Coast Ambulance Service, the Farnham Lions and the local branch of the St John Ambulance, they formed Heartstart Farnham Lions. Initially this operated as a scheme associated with the BHF, but now is run under the banner of the Farnham Lions as an independent scheme, providing free classes to members of the public. |
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Since 2010, the team have grown and have trained over 1500 people at their twice-monthly courses. Alongside this, the team run an emergency life support drop-in tent at the Farnham carnival and deliver training in schools and to community groups. Heartstart Farnham Lions also aim to raise awareness of the role defibrillators play in a successful resus, and help the wider community learn about what they are and how to use them. The team have helped with the installation of 10 public access defibrillators in the Farnham area, with plans for more!
Since the scheme started, four members of the team have used their skills. Barbara gave CPR to her ex-husband when he had a cardiac arrest in 2013, Tom gave one of our trainees back blows when she choked on a sweet - and also recently successfully used a public access defibrillator on a parent at school pick up. Keith Harris delivered CPR to someone collapsed at a car boot sale and Peter Glover helped save his friend David when he suffered a cardiac arrest at his 40th birthday party, by providing CPR and defibrillation before the ambulance arrived. We have also been proud to learn that one of our trainees, Gulfer Budden, was able to save her son's life when he choked and stopped breathing whilst on holiday with back blows, abdominal thrusts and then CPR. It just goes to show the importance of stepping in - don't be a bystander! Book yourself on a course - it could happen to you!
Since the scheme started, four members of the team have used their skills. Barbara gave CPR to her ex-husband when he had a cardiac arrest in 2013, Tom gave one of our trainees back blows when she choked on a sweet - and also recently successfully used a public access defibrillator on a parent at school pick up. Keith Harris delivered CPR to someone collapsed at a car boot sale and Peter Glover helped save his friend David when he suffered a cardiac arrest at his 40th birthday party, by providing CPR and defibrillation before the ambulance arrived. We have also been proud to learn that one of our trainees, Gulfer Budden, was able to save her son's life when he choked and stopped breathing whilst on holiday with back blows, abdominal thrusts and then CPR. It just goes to show the importance of stepping in - don't be a bystander! Book yourself on a course - it could happen to you!
