St Matthew’s boosts Cayman Heart Fund

CNS Editor | 08/07/2018

(L-R) Dr Anup Rao, Colleen Mellott of Cayman Heart Fund, Dr Amitabha Basu and Dr Qing Zhong

(CNS Local Life): St Matthew’s University recently made a donation to the Cayman Heart Fund (CHF), taken from funds collected from cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and basic life support (BLS) classes the university offers throughout the year. Dr Qing Zhong, instructor and coordinator for the programme, said, “Our goal is to work together with CHF to enhance the awareness of emergency care as well as the successful rate of rescue of cardiac arrest and choking for medical staff and non-medical personnel in the Cayman Islands.”

Qualified students receive a certificate authorised by the American Heart Association. “We are so pleased when students let us know that they are no longer afraid of an emergency situation and that the examples and one-on-one interaction made all the difference in feeling confident enough to help,” the doctor said, in a CHF press release.

St Matthew’s dean and professor of pathology, Dr Amitabha Basu, said the school was “proud to be associated with the CHF in delivering essential lifesaving skills to the people of the Cayman Islands. We have been providing BLS training to local medical, paramedical staff members, students, and non-medical personnel since July 10, 2010.”

David Dinner, CHF board chair of the non-profit organisation, said, “There is an urgent need to make CPR training a must in schools and colleges and especially at the community level so that family members of those people, who fall under high risk zone for developing heart ailments, can give immediate medical assistance in times of emergency.

“Knowing how to give CPR properly can be a great asset and can save the life of a person when his or her heart stops beating.”

He also thanked the university’s instructors for their ongoing support, commending them on their commitment to saving lives in the Cayman Islands.

BLS instructor, Dr Anup Rao, said, “We support the CHF’s mission of improving the cardiovascular health of the people of the Cayman Islands. Basic life support is an important life-saving tool – not to ‘treat’ the person but to buy some valuable time until the emergency medical aid arrives.”

Overall, the Cayman Heart Fund works to educate the public, influence policy and support access to high-quality healthcare through various programmes and initiatives.