The Latest Mikey Network News

The Mikey Network’s two latest heroes

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Tom Condotta and Darlene Fournier jumped in to help a man whose heart had stopped during a recreational volleyball league game on March 2. (Grant Linton/CBC)

More details have come to light about the two heroes that leapt into action to save a man who suffered cardiac arrest at Chinguacousy Secondary School on the evening of March 2.

According to a CBC article, Darlene Fournier, was one of the first to take action. It was not the first time Darlene has to perform CPR as a teacher. 18 years ago, when, in just her first year of teaching, a student in her class collapsed and she had to perform CPR. In both cases, Fournier credits CPR training and easy access to an automatic external defibrillator, or AED, for the comfort of knowing that in both instances, she did everything that she could.

Tom Condotta, a vice principal with the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board, also jumped in to help that night at Chinguacousy. He was playing in the recreational volleyball league that takes over the school on Thursday nights, when a woman ran in and said a man had suffered a seizure.

Like Fournier, he has CPR and first-aid training because of his position at the school board. He turned the man over from his stomach to his side and directed someone to check his bag for medication.

“It looked like he was kind of snoring,” Condotta said. “I asked for someone to go and get a defibrillator.” As he performed compressions Fournier set up the defibrillator.

This incident had a happy ending, with the male patient now recovering well at home.

To read the full story, please visit CBC.com.

Celebrating the retirement of Deputy Chief Garrie Wright

Garrie Wright

On Saturday, March 25th, 2017, a group of us from The Mikey Network had the honour of attending the retirement party of our good friend, Garrie Wright. Back in 2003 when we started The Mikey Network, we knew we wanted to help people suffering cardiac arrest by placing as many MIKEYs (defibrillators) as we could. What we did not know, was how we were going to do that.

Garrie was incredibly helpful in those early days and beyond. Without his knowledge and can-do attitude we would have had a far more difficult time navigating all of the regulations and politics involved in getting AEDs in public places.

Garrie was a trailblazer in the EMS community and his decades of work in the Paramedic Services, including the Cardiac Safe City program, has changed thousands of lives for the better.

We’re honoured to count Garrie amongst our friends and wish him the best in his well deserved retirement. We’re sure it will be a great new adventure.

Teachers use a MIKEY (AED) at Chinguacousy Secondary School to save a life

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Saved By A MIKEY AED

We have just been informed by our friends at Peel Regional Paramedic Services that teachers from Chinguacousy Secondary School used a MIKEY (AED) to successfully revive an individual that had suffered a Sudden Cardiac Arrest while participating in a sporting activity.

CPR was started and shocks were administered by the MIKEY (AED) prior to Paramedics arrival. Paramedics confirmed he was responsive upon arrival, and was taken to a local hospital for further care.

We’ve been told the individual is recovering, and should be released in the upcoming days.

Mikey Young At Heart

This defibrillator was placed at Chinguacousy Secondary School through our Mikey Young At Heart program. So far, the Mikey Young at Heart program has placed over 280 MIKEY AEDs in schools including the Toronto District School Board, Peel District School Board, Halton District School Board, Halton Catholic District School Board, and Limestone District School Board.

Recently, The Mikey Network finished placing MIKEYs in each of the more than 250 public schools in Peel Region.

This is the 36th person that we are aware of, saved with a MIKEY. We are so grateful a MIKEY AED was on hand when this man needed it, and most importantly, people willing to use it were there to spring into action!

It was a Mikey Valentine’s Day at the Graweys

– Written by Rene Grawey, Director of Mikey’s Kids

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We decided to celebrate Valentine’s Day this year by inviting some of our friends and neighbours over to talk about the work we do here at The Mikey Network, and demonstrate how easy it is use a MIKEY AED if need arises.

We are a very close group of friends and neighbors and most of them knew of The Mikey Network and they were all quite excited for the demonstration on how to use a Mikey AED. Our home was nicely decorated by my wonderful wife Patti, for our Mikey Valentines evening.

I talked about how and why The Mikey Network was started by the Partners at Herity, and all we do as a Charity, including the beginning when Mike passed away. There were some misty eyes in the group, even though most knew the story.

I explained how we’ve placed over 2000 MIKEYs across Ontario and throughout Canada, and as far away as Haiti, and the various Mikey Programs. Many were surprised to hear about of some of the placements including Two Men and Truck carrying them on all of their moving trucks through our Mikey on Board program. I was proud to to talk about the Young At Heart program, and the over 500 MIKEYs we’ve placed in public schools including every Peel District Public School.

I explained that Cardiac Arrest has no age limit, and told the story of Archer, the 3 month old who was saved by his parents with the MIKEY they got through out Mikey’s Kids program, as well as some of the other great Mikey’s Kids stories.

I started the demonstration and took a few questions throughout. Everyone was very surprised to see how simple it is to use a defibrillator. I then turned it over to my next door neighbor Carolyn, to try the MIKEY and then asked her to pick the next person to try. Everyone appreciated being able to witness an AED demonstration and learn about The Mikey Network and everyone went home feeling good.

We gave each person some Mikey parting gifts and The Mikey Valentine’s Day Cake was a hit! Patti and I are very happy we did this and now my friends and neighbours all know we have a MIKEY in the house should the need arise.

Please contact us if you want to learn more about how you can become a Mikey Ambassador, and spread the word about The Mikey Network.

 

 

Mikey is a welcome house guest

To celebrate Valentine’s Day and Heart Month, our friends at TCGPR have made a donation to support The Mikey Network and our Mikey’s Kids program, on behalf of their valued staff, clients and suppliers.

For families with children suffering from life-threatening heart issues, having a “Mikey At Home” could be a life saver. Families like Jane Hunter, whose son Kyle was diagnosed with Long QT syndrome gladly welcomed a MIKEY defibrillator into their home. And Laurie Hobbs, whose three children were diagnosed with the same disease, also received a MIKEY AED from The Mikey Network.

The Mikey’s Kids program offers families the peace of mind knowing their MIKEY is close at hand in case their child’s heart skips a beat.

Thank you TCGPR!