A matter of the heart – Teen raises funds for public defibrillators

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Emily_MikeyHere’s an amazing story of friendship from Grimsby, Ontario that shows what can happen when a community comes together.

One of Mikey’s Kids, Emily Herbert, is at risk for cardiac arrest due to an inherited disease known as Brugada syndrome. Her friends watched how this diagnosis affected her whole family.

A family friend, Brenden Ruigrok, decided to throw a fundraiser for Emily, to give back to the organization that provided her with an AED – The Mikey Network! He organized a youth dance as a fundraiser.

“I wanted to help people like Emily,” said Ruigrok, who was trained on how to use the Mikey at age 11 along with the Herbert family. “I saw so many places in the community where people needed help I thought why not do something for somebody that I care about. Someone who I am close to.”

More than 100 kids showed up – including all of Emily’s friends of course. They raised over $1,200 for The Mikey Network.

You can read the whole story in the Grimsby Lincoln News online.

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK Is Making Peterborough A Little Safer with Mikey On Board

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This Thursday, March 27, 2014, Kari Campbell, Franchisee and General Manager of TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® – Oshawa and Peterborough, , held a demonstration of how the MIKEY defibrillator in all of their Moving Trucks can save lives.

As one of our partners in the Mikey On Board Program,  every one of their  six trucks that move through Oshawa, Peterborough, and throughout the Durham Region, is equipped with a MIKEY, and their movers and drivers have been trained how to use them.

The demonstration was featured on CHEXTV. 

Pamela Vanmeer reports, “For the first time in Peterborough and the Kawarthas….a moving company is making one of the most stressful days of a persons life a little safer.”

Thank you to Two Men And A Truck, for being such amazing partners!

 

The Mikey’s Kids Program Gives Children Like Maranda, and their Families, Peace of Mind

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marandabeachWe received a lovely note from Crystal, the mom of one of our Mikey’s Kids, Maranda. Maranda is a very special and unique girl. She has an extremely rare disorder called Andersen-Tawil Syndrome. Only 100 people world wide have been diagnosed with the disorder since it was first discovered in 1967. The heart can be seriously affected, so Maranda needs a MIKEY, and we provided one through the Mikey’s Kids program.

Crystal wrote:

“We are finally heart safe! We are so grateful to have received an fully funded AED (automatic external defibrillator) courtesy of The Mikey Network – the beat gos on. What an amazing program that provides AEDs to families and organizations in need! And the most wonderful and simple application process and best customer service ever! Thank you for your help Morty! We feel so much safer and secure knowing we have an AED in our home and with Maranda at school and wherever she goes. Knowing your child is at risk for cardiac death is difficult, but this organization was bright spot of sunshine in our journey.”

“I just wanted to say thanks again for making a big part of our life easier. So many things are so difficult and so challenging. Many things have layers and layers of process and paperwork. Your organization was so streamlined and wonderful to deal with.”

Thank you so much for your kind words Crystal, and welcome to Team Mikey. We hope you never need to use your MIKEY,  but we’re so happy it’s there if you need it.

Maranda is a big fan of Rainbows.  She has a Facebook page – Maranda’s Rainbow Connection – where you can go to learn more about her and  Andersen-Tawil Syndrome, and leave her an encouraging word, or a picture of a rainbow. Maranda wishes for a rainbow from every person in the world! So please take a moment to send a rainbow to: Maranda’s Rainbow Connection c/o Shoppers Drug Mart 2028 Park St Regina, SK Canada S4N 2G6

 

Hugh Heron Talks to Tom Hayes on CityNews About Why We Need MIKEYs In All Schools

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The Mikey Network has committed to donating 250 MIKEYs (defibrillators) for The Peel District School Board to place in all of its elementary and secondary schools.  Chairman Hugh Heron, joins Tom Hayes on CityNews to talk about why we need defibrillators in all schools, and why they should be as common as fire extinguishers in public places.

This is a CityNews Toronto video. If you are on a mobile phone and you cannot see it, please view it on the CityNews website.

 

CityNews Tom Hayes Profiles The Mikey Network’s Commitment To Place 250 MIKEY Defibrillators in Peel District Schools

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In this video, CityNews Tom Hayes shows how all schools in Peel Region will soon be better equipped to save a life. The Peel District School Board will be receiving 250 MIKEYs (defibrillators from The Mikey Network’s Young at Heart program and will be placed in the schools over a three-year period.

This is a CityNews Toronto video. If you are on a mobile phone and you cannot see it, please view it on the CityNews website.

Read the full CityNews Story Here