Charity to install 100th defibrillator after decade

ANOTHER defibrillator has been installed in Henley in a bid to make the area “heart safe”.

The life-saving device, which is on a wall outside Hobbs of Henley on the corner of Station Road and Thames Side, was supplied by Millie’s Dream, a charity which aims to have 100 machines in place by its 10th anniversary on September 24.

Founded by Sarah Roberts in 2013, the charity was named after her then six-year-old daughter, who has a heart and lung condition, with the aim of providing defibrillators in all Henley’s primary schools.

Ms Roberts, 52, of King’s Road, Henley, said: “It was set up as my daughter was about to start primary school and with her condition we were aware of the risks to anyone in schools in a similar situation.

“We started the charity in her name and raised enough for a defibrillator in all the primary schools but the donations kept coming in and surpassed all expectations, so we were able to do the secondary schools too.

“The support has kept going and we have just installed our 97th defibrillator and are trying to reach our 100th by our 10th anniversary. We have three possible sites, so it is looking quite likely.”

Jonathan Hobbs, managing director of Hobbs of Henley, said: “We have been aware of the importance of defib use in increasing the chances of surviving sudden cardiac arrest for a while and all our staff receive regular first aid training, which includes the practical use of them.

“For years we have had one in our office but we wanted to make one more available and visible to Henley residents and visitors and the boating community in Henley.

“I have known Sarah since childhood and am so in awe of her charity’s achievements and really pleased to partner with her on this project.”

The charity is also trying to get all the indoor defibrillators in the town repositioned externally so they are available to the public round the clock.

Mrs Roberts said: “Since setting up the charity there have been five cardiac arrests attended to by defibrillators from Millie’s Dream and four of those dads and grandads are alive thanks to the generosity of people who donated.

“Everyone knows someone who has a heart condition, or has had a heart attack, or suffers from atrial fibrillation (abnormal heart rhythm). It is not something that happens to just old people.

“No one plans a heart attack and no one knows when they might need a defibrillator, so they need to be accessible 24/7. Everyone needs to know where to find one and that they have to ring 999 to get the code to open the case and access it.”

Another initiative run by the charity is training courses to show people how to use a defibrillator. These are run by former paramedic Suzanne Stickley, of First Aid Matters, and are funded by Millie’s Dream.

Ms Roberts, who is clinical director of the Active VIII physiotherapy centre in West Lane, Henley, said: “Rather than big groups, what we are trying to do is get people to get together half a dozen friends or colleagues to teach them what to do in the case of a cardiac arrest.

“A lot of people still don’t know what to do and are frightened by a defibrillator, which is really just a very basic computer — but a life-saving one. Once you turn it on, it won’t let you administer a shock unless the patient needs one.”

Millie is now 16 and attends the Oratory School in Woodcote, where she is a keen cricketer.

She had a heart monitor surgically implanted in her chest in 2014 so there is a risk of damage from being hit by a fast ball but this is considered to be very small.

She cannot take part in endurance sports, such as distance running, but anything involving intermittent bursts is fine.

For more information, call Millie’s Dream on 07733 318993 or email Ms Roberts at
sarah@active-viii.org

Donations can be made online to the Millie’s Dream community account with Barclays using the sort code 20-39-53 and account number 23727610.