Welsh Assembly Statement of Opinion. OPIN-2009-0108 - SADS UK- Help Save Lives
"This Assembly congratulates SADS UK, the cardiac charity, for providing heart monitors and defibrillators in the community to prevent sudden cardiac death;
Encourages Members to support SADS UK in their aims to place Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) and training in all schools across Wales in order that pupils, staff and other personnel can receive vital emergency treatment immediately if they suffer a cardiac arrest on school premises, giving them the best possible chance of survival". Read more
Read SADS UK Response to the Government here
Read the Government's Response here
AED Campaign (Automated External Defibrillator)
SADS UK gains Parliamentary support for defibrillators to be placed in schools.Write to your MP or attend their surgery and ask them to sign their support of EDM 395, Cardiac Arrest in schools. Ask them to back our Campaign by writing to Government urging them to make AED's available in all schools. To get details of you MP see www.writetothem.com - or ask SADS UK to obtain this for you.
We urge you to show your support now for AEDs in schools by clicking on this link and signing the petition. It takes less than a minute!
AAAW 2008 - 9th - 15th June
SADS UK is again supporting Arrhythmia Alliance Awareness Week (AAAW) 08 which marks the fifth anniversary of the Arrhythmia Awareness Week Partners annual awareness week.
A date has been set for 9th-15th June, with World Heart Rhythm Awareness Day falling again on 13th June. Charitable organisations from across the world, patients, carers and patient groups are encouraged to hold awareness events on this day to raise global awareness.
Calendar of events during AAAW
Monday 9th - SADS UK Balloon Launch
Tuesday 10th – Celebratory Reception to Launch Arrhythmia Awareness Week, Portcullis House
Wednesday 11th – Lunchtime Reception and Regional Meeting - Holyrood, Scotland
Thursday 12th –
Friday 13th – World Heart Rhythm Day
Saturday 14th –
Sunday 15th - Europe AF Conference & AF Patients Day
SADS UK Candle Lighting
AAAW 2007
Ellen Berry, BHF - Frank Lester, Anne Jolly, Pam and Bob Swain SADS UK - Dr Andrew Staniforth - Jamie WaterallCharity members wrote to their MPs to raise awareness and to further to implementation of the NSF for CHHD Chapter 8 – Arrhythmias and Sudden Cardiac Death in primary care. They took booklets to doctors surgeries and medical establishments to highlight the guidelines in this field. They wrote and met with their MPs to gain their support in writing to the Minister responsible, Rosie Winterton, asking what support her Department had mad available to support Primary Care Trusts to implement Chapter 8. Letters were written to MPs in England, AMs in Wales, MSPs in Scotland and the Northern Ireland Assembly.
The week was focussed on raising awareness about cardiac arrhythmia and many hospitals took part by holding stands at their hospital displaying information. SADS UK personnel attended a Parliamentary reception during AAAW on the 13th June providing information about SADS and highlighting the need for health professionals to be aware of cardiac conditions that could be life-threatening if not treated. The day was designated World Heart Rhythm Awareness Day.
Arrhythmia Awareness Campaigns gain the Prime Minister and MP’s support
The Arrhythmia Awareness Campaign in 2006 was immensely successful with events raising awareness being held by the charity’s, members and hospitals countrywide. Many of you have helped, and 165 events around the country took place. We would like to double this figure for 2007.See Prime Minister Tony Blair’s letter of support and reception given by Cherie Blair, together with letters of endorsement of the Arrhythmia Awareness Campaign by some of the many MP’s who support the work http://www.stars.org.uk/aaaw/support-political.html
The Annual Arrhythmia Awareness Campaigns began with
Arrhythmia Awareness Week 12th to 18th May 2004
A Parliamentary Reception on May 12th 2004 launched Arrhythmia Awareness Week
An Early Day Motion was tabled to include targets for the diagnosis and treatment of arrhythmias within the National Service Framework. SADS UK are working in partnership with STARS, BCPA and the Cardiomyopathy Association; our common aims are to improve the lives of individuals and families who have been impacted as a consequence of suffering cardiac arrhythmia. An arrhythmia is a medical term used to describe a heart that beats too fast or too slow. Subsequent to the Campaign the Department of Health published NSF Chapter 8 Arrhythmias and Sudden Cardiac Death, guidelines to help save lives and improve the lives of those living with arrhythmia.
The campaign was sponsored by Medtronic: the market leader in heart rate diagnostic tools and pacemakers.
SADSUK page on how you can support AAAW