Mrs Davis accompanied by committee members and Governor’s office staff
In March this year, Mrs. Sujue Davis, wife of His Excellency Adrian Davis, who it is claimed falls in her shadows as she is acclaimed to be the most successful fund raiser in Montserrat, by January raised over $34,000 to purchase defibrillators under the Montserrat Red Cross branch banner.
Mrs. Davis began fund raising in November last year, raising $27,000 for the automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in her capacity as Patron of the Montserrat Red Cross branch. She set-up an account in the name of the branch called, ‘Patron’s Community Fund’ managed by a committee set up for the purpose. Mrs. Davis publicises that all funds in this account are to be used solely for the purchase and delivery of AEDs, to be placed at various locations on Montserrat.
Mrs. Davis acted swiftly and urgently on Thursday, September 5, 2013 when she handed over the first AED machine to the Glendon Hospital in the presence of a small gathering of staff members from the Governor’s office, members of her fund-raising organising committee and the media.
Mrs. Davis explains that the defibrillator was initially to be handed over to the Lookout Community centre in service of the community there, but acted swiftly when her committee learned of the need at the hospital. “After consultation, we agreed that the hospital should have priority over the Lookout community centre which was our original choice – Since Glendon hospital needed a defibrillator urgently, I presented the one that I left at Brades police station for use as needed and eventual delivery to the Lookout Community Centre,” she told witnesses to the hand-over.
The Red Cross branch patron said that this was the first iPad AED machine purchased by Coral Cay, “who kindly purchased this for us and as a result the price is cheaper by 30% and it’s supposed to be the best on the market,” she reported. (This para reads correctly from the print copy)
Dr. Ingrid Buffonge accepted the equipment on behalf of the hospital expressing thanks revealing that the delivery was most timely. “On behalf of the casualty department, this is a very timely donation as our AED stopped working and our manual defibrillator hasn’t worked for some time,” she said.
“We are extremely grateful,” Dr. Buffonge continued. “It will come in handy, and the nice thing about an AED is that anybody can use it,” she said, explaining, “any hospital staff and lay people can use it as well, it will be put to good use.”
catalogue picture of defibrillator donated
Mrs. Davis also later reported that three more AEDs will soon arrive on island. These were ordered and purchased by Alistair Cole of Coral Cay.
CARDIAC AED DEFIBRILLATOR MONITOR
Just as this handover took place a call raised by Iris Lake Ryan an RN in the USA, pledging to raise US$6,000.00 to purchase a Cardiac AED defibrillator for the hospital in Montserrat. The nurse wrote in her social media request, “We need several Pieces of Equipment (for our hospital in Montserrat) and the most important one today is a CARDIAC AED DEFIBRILLATOR MONITOR. It is a mandatory equipment and is available in every Medical Facility across the US.”
Latest report is that the initial “Total of US$6000.00 to provide two or more of these with all the accompanying supplies, Pads, electrodes, gels, power surge protectors etc.,” noted in the pledge.
Dr. Ingrid Buffonge was asked to explain the difference between this last defibrillator and the ones being purchased, one which she had just accepted for the hospital.
She said the current monitor is broken and malfunctions, “you really couldn’t trust what rhythm you were getting anyway, we have been asking for one for a long time,” she said.
The doctor explains. “The difference is, this is using cardiac arrest as well so if your heart stops beating we can apply the pads and access your rhythm and we can decide on whether or not you need to have defibrillation based on the rhythm. From my point of view it’s a little bit quicker than the AED, so if you’re with a bunch of trained people around a patient in cardiac arrest you can make your decision in a hurry…”
However she said, the present donation will work as a temporary fix. “This guy here will worked really well…”
Meanwhile the Red Cross branch patron said that the AEDs to be purchased will be placed at the sea and air ports and at other key areas around the island, with ongoing training already taking place to efficiently operate the equipments.
