Save a Life: From being saved, to saving lives – community defibrillator installed

To say the least, it has been a whirlwind of a success. Gerry Hannam, Jenny Hannam, and their friends were walking along Waterloo Bridge when Gerry suddenly dropped.

A sudden cardiac arrest struck him. A nurse nearby immediately administered CPR. A National Theatre employee also noticed what was going on and grabbed the defibrillator. Together, they pulled Gerry out of a near-certain death.

Gerry and Jenny never got to thank the London Ambulance Service or the National Theatre personally, but they both wanted to. Gerry, on returning to their house in Sitio De Calahonda Mijas tried to locate the defibrillators. It can happen at any time to anyone. Without defibrillators in the area, they would have no chance of surviving a cardiac episode. It was their mission.

Ready to save a Life at the Heart of the Community

The first defibrillator has been installed at Pal’s Bar, located in the El Zoco Complex, next to the A-7. A defibrillator was installed in the bar as a result of months of fundraising efforts and the generous donations of the locals. The machine will only deliver a 15,000-volt charge when the conditions are safe. It is still there in case. Calahonda can take up to 20 minutes for an ambulance. That can be too long in an emergency.

A switch is located in the upper right corner of the AED that instantly converts the recorded instructions into English. When the AED is in use, if you touch the victim, the AED will detect your heartbeat, and it will not give a shock. This is the level of sensitivity and technology. It is safe to use for everyone.

Save a Life is about to install a new debibrillator

Save a Life (S.A.L. ) has almost raised enough to pay for a third of the €2,000 devices. The second device will be installed in the next week. But it’s more than that. The Family are now hearing back from the neighbouring urbanisations of Elviria, Riveria, Mijas Pueblo and La Cala de Mijas, and at this stage, Age Concern Benalmadena, Mijas & Fuengirola are giving them a lot of support.

Now, the family is studying Elviria, a nearby urbanisation. Mijas Pueblo, La Cala de Mijas and other towns are also taking note and looking to save lives by installing defibrillators. AEDs are being installed in Benalmadena as well as Torremolinos.

AEDs bring the community together

Giving isn’t the only thing that matters. We are a community. At any time, it could be us, or someone we love. Cardiac arrests are not preceded by warnings. Where is the nearest AED? S.A.L. A campaign is ongoing, and includes an online map of AED locations. You may be waiting too long for your local council or neighborhood association to decide on budget allocation. The community is doing it themselves. Now is the time to get defibrillators. They’re needed near you.

On November 28th, there will be a large fundraiser that is even more impressive than the event they held at Pal’s Bar. The evening at La Sierra Restaurant in Cerrado del Águila Golf & Resort, Mijas, will feature Ricky Lavazza and Ben James singing and will be the social event of the autumn. They are also considering CPR and AED courses to remove the fear from performing CPR. We raise our glasses to Gerry, Jenny, and their families today, who have done exemplary work in ensuring that those at the brink of death receive the lifesaving technology they require.

RSVP Gerry & Jenny on 664150582 to receive your tickets for Save a Life Charity Evening.