Nick Thomas-Symonds met with Liverpool football legend Jamie Carragher in Parliament last week to discuss the Oliver King Foundation’s campaign to raise awareness of sudden cardiac arrest, and for schools to have mandatory access to defibrillators.
The Oliver King Foundation was set up by Mark King, in January 2012 following the tragic death of his 12-year-old son Oliver King. Oliver died from Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome, a hidden heart condition which kills 12 young people every week.
Since stating the campaign, the Foundation has placed 4,500 defibrillators in schools and organisations across the UK, as well as training 70,000 staff in defibrillator awareness along the way. So far, over 47 lives being saved have been the defibrillators the foundation has secured.
Mr Thomas-Symonds commented: “I was pleased to show my support for such an important campaign, and I pay tribute to the inspirational work Mark has done at the Oliver King Foundation.
In Wales alone, around 6,000 people suffer sudden cardiac arrest every year, so it is vital the public have wide access to defibrillators. I welcome the £1 million in funding from the Welsh Government to improve availability of defibrillators to community groups, sports grounds, and public organisations.
I would encourage all groups and organisations which have defibrillators to register them on The Circuit – the national defibrillator network – so the emergency services can direct people to nearest device when needed.”