Liverpool dad makes another big push to have life saving defibs put into schools

Mark King wants no other parent to feel his pain

Author: Paul DowardPublished 17th Mar 2022

A Liverpool dad is hoping today's the day the government backs his campaign to have defibrillators installed in all schools across the country.

Mark King set up the Oliver King Foundation after his 12 year old son died during a swimming race in 2011.

After installing 6000 defibs up and down the country, he's hoping Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi will back his campaign, at a special meeting in London and wants to have them put in every school.

Mark's been telling us it's vital :

"My Olly was special, he was twelve and had all of his life in front of him. He went to school on the 2nd March 2011 and had a cardiac arrest and didn't come home. As a dad I couldn't understand why.

"We've installed just over six thousand defibs, we've trained 135,000 people into the use of them and saved sixty lives; the youngest being four and the oldest being sixty. I am confident it's going to get done, please let it happen today.

"If someone has a cardiac arrest and there's a defib to hand then you will be their first chain of survival and that's what we're trying to bring home to ministers. We've been told we won't get full legislation but if we can get it in one particular area then the rest will follow".

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