At Chris Brothers, we’re all heart! Chris Brothers give AED device to École Abbey-Landry School of Memramcook, NB
Pictured above, left to right: Paul Sivret, Bill Wiseman, Barbara Ann O’Brien – Bonté Foods, Bobby Dupuis – Physical Education teacher and Pierre Roy – Principal of École Abbey-Landry School.
During Heart Month, Chris Brothers initiated a social media campaign to give away an Automatic External Defibrillator to a deserving organization. An AED is a device that delivers an electric shock through the chest to the heart of a person suffering from a cardiac arrest. The shock can potentially allow a normal rhythm to resume following sudden cardiac arrest.
How important are AEDs? Just ask Chris Bothers/Bonté Foods employees Bill Wiseman and Paul Sivret, they’ll tell you. Both men experienced cardiac arrest in the past few years and their lives were saved by an AED device. Bill while at a hockey rink and Paul while at work at Bonté Foods.
These events touched our hearts. We believe AEDs need to be more plentiful and accessible. So much so, we gave away an AED device valued at $3500 plus the necessary training on how to use the device.
The deserving recipient of the AED Giveaway is École Abbey-Landry School, located in Memramcook New Brunswick. Principal Pierre Roy and students were happy to learn that they will be getting the AED device. “Unfortunately, in March of 2005, a tragedy happened at the school that still haunts staff members today. A young grade 7 student, Janic LeBlanc, collapsed and died from heart failure while at school. A staff member gave CPR relentlessly to try to revive her until paramedics arrived and continued in rotation with them.” Principal Roy continues, “It was a very difficult loss, as a result the AED is being accepted in Janic’s memory.”
École Abbey-Landry School is an integral part of the community in Memramcook. “We are very proud to open the school to our community during evenings and weekends for all sort of activities like sports, arts, cultural and community events. So the school is always filled with people” says Principal Roy.
Executive Vice President of Bonté Foods Barbara Ann O’Brien was on hand for the announcement, “We asked employees Bill Wiseman and Paul Sivret, both cardiac arrest survivors, to make the selection. We were pleased with their choice. They were anxious to make the presentation.”
In 2016, Bill Wiseman suffered a heart attack while playing hockey. His life was saved thanks to quick-thinking hockey friends who used an AED located at the arena. It was Bill’s experience that inspired Bonté Foods to install an AED. Just 18 months later Paul Sivret suffered a heart attack while at work and it was this same device his co-workers used to save his life. We encourage all employers and organizations to have an AED device at their facilities.