Wales rugby captain Sam Warburton (pictured) met ‘Dai Fib’, the mascot for the campaign, at the Millennium Stadium last week to help launch a fundraising initiative for Welsh Hearts to achieve the installation of life saving equipment throughout Wales.
The Cardiff Arms Park Male Voice Choir gathered for a performance of Sosban Fach, especially adapted for the appeal, at the official launch at Cardiff Arms Park today (Wednesday 4th December).
‘Shocking’ statistics state that the survival rate after a sudden Cardiac arrest outside of hospital is only 3%. Whereas when a Defibrillator is used, the survival rate is 47%.
In Wales there are approximately 8,000 sudden cardiac arrests, outside of those in hospitals, each year.
Welsh Hearts want to raise funds across Wales in rural communities, work place and schools in order that a defibrillator is positioned next to every fire extinguisher in Wales.
WRU chief executive Roger Lewis, who is a patron of the Welsh Hearts charity, said: “Rugby is the heart and soul of Wales so in this special initiative Welsh Hearts are teaming up with the WRU with the aim of providing a defibrillator to the hundreds of rugby clubs throughout the country.
“We need our clubs to get involved with fundraising for this worthwhile cause and in return the charity will provide the life-saving equipment.”
Welsh Hearts Charity Director Sharon Owen said: “There are not enough defibrillators in Wales or trained people to give victims the best chance of survival during those first few critical minutes.
“We hope the defibrillators never have to be used, but if they are used many lives in Wales will be saved as a consequence. When someone suffers a cardiac arrest, their chances of survival drop by up to 14% for every minute that passes, so a speedy response is crucial. Early defibrillation – within four to five minutes – gives the best possible chance of survival.
“With access to more defibrillators, Welsh Hearts can help our partners in the emergency services to improve chances of survival and protect our communities. Someone in cardiac arrest will lose consciousness, will not be breathing and will have no signs of circulation. A defibrillator is used to shock the heart following a cardiac arrest.
“At present there are only 450 defibrillators in Wales compared to 9,000 in England! We hope that Welsh Hearts will change that!
“This can only be made possible through donations of time and money and there are so many ways that people can fundraise for us from organising a coffee morning, Balls, Zumba Challenge, Concert, golf days – in fact just about anything goes! Please get in touch via fundraising@welshhearts.org if you can help!
“We are proud too of the fact that All money raised in Wales will be spent in Wales. Help us to save more lives in Wales.”
Shock treatment planned for clubs
The Welsh Rugby Union has linked up with the charity Welsh Hearts with the aim of providing live-saving defibrillator devices to as many of its 320-member clubs as possible.
