March 10, 2009, Waterloo, ON
A 65-year-old Waterloo man is alive today thanks to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario and Region of Waterloo Emergency Medical Services’ Public Access Defibrillator Program.
On March 10, a man collapsed from sudden cardiac arrest during a hockey game at Conestoga College Recreation Centre. The referee and a fellow teammate initiated CPR and delivered a shock with the onsite Automated External Defibrillator (AED). The man regained vital signs and was transported to a nearby hospital where he remains in stable condition.
The placement of the AED at the Conestoga College Recreation Centre was made possible by the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario’s Heart&Stroke Restart a Heart, Restart a Life Campaign and Chase McEachern Tribute Fund and a generous donation from Sun Life Financial. This AED was put in place only two months ago.

“The Region of Waterloo has received funding through the Heart&Stroke Restart A Heart, Restart a Life Campaign and the Chase McEachern Tribute Fund to place more than 100 AEDs throughout the community,” said Bill Thomas, Interim CEO, Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario. “This save is a testament to what happens when individuals in the community learn CPR and when an AED is within reach.
“Through the program, the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario together with its partners, the Ontario Ministry of Health Promotion, The Frank Cowan Foundation, Transamerica Life Canada and Sun Life Financial, is making possible the purchase, installation and associated training for AEDs to be placed in communities across the province,” says Thomas. “With the help of individuals, government, community groups and corporate sponsors, one day AEDs will become as commonplace as fire extinguishers in Ontario to save lives.”
“We are very happy this patient survived his ordeal, and credit is owed to those who stepped in to render aid - performing CPR and utilizing the defibrillator,” said John Prno, Director of the Region of Waterloo Emergency Medical Services. “Region of Waterloo EMS is very pleased to have helped build this successful program that assisted in saving this man’s life - a testament to training people and placing defibrillators in public places.”
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