By Kinjal Dagli Shah

A girls' hockey team has made it their mission to make Aurora and Newmarket cardiac-safe communities.

As part of the Chevrolet Good Deeds Cup initiative, the Central York Panthers PeeWee Orange Crush team came together to teach people how to do compression-only CPR and use life-saving automated external defibrillators (AED).

“A few months back, one of our Aurora Panthers, Rachel Gillies, saved the life of one of her father's friends. She was time-keeping her father's shinny game when a player went into cardiac arrest on the ice. Rachel knew how to do CPR and use the AED and was able to save the man's life,” said Trish Murphy, a certified first-aid instructor whose daughter plays on the Orange Crush team.

Murphy is also the team manager and proposed the initial idea to the parents, who loved it.

“Every hockey arena across the province has an AED and everyone that comes into any arena has the power to use it, if needed. The problem is that most people don't know what an AED is or how to use one,” explained Murphy, who taught the girls how to do CPR and use an AED.

Over the months of December and January, the team, comprising 14 girls, went to hockey rinks across Aurora and Newmarket to share their know-how with people, teaching them how to do compression-only CPR and use AEDs.

The team also set up a crowdfunding page to place as many indoor and outdoor SaveStations (which house life-saving AEDs) across the cities of Aurora and Newmarket.

“To date, we have raised over $10,000 and our goal is to reach $20,000. The girls have spoken to the Mayors of Aurora and Newmarket, who are helping us as well,” said Murphy.

Grace, an 11-year-old who team member, hopes their campaign will spread awareness about the use of AEDs. “This campaign has taught me how important and easy it is to know CPR and use an AED. There is one in every hockey rink and anyone can use it. I hope that by showing people how to use an AED when someone goes into cardiac arrest, even a kid could save someone's life,” she said.

The team spent four days visiting different hockey rinks to promote their campaign. Charlotte Heron, a 12-year-old who is a major in Peewee, is hopeful their mission will be successful. “I have been on the team for almost a year and this is my seventh year playing hockey. I hope that we achieve our goal of raising $20,000 so that we can place as many AEDs as possible and make our towns cardiac-safe.”

The campaign has boosted the confidence in all the team members.

Sophie Major, another 11-year-old, knows what to do if someone is unable to breathe.

 “I learned how kids can make a difference. I hope there will be more AEDs in Newmarket and Aurora because they save lives.” 

The campaign will be on until January 31. To donate, visit the crowdfunding page at https://crowdfunding.savestation.ca/campaign/32/help-make-newmarket-the-safest-cardiac-city-in-canada.