COMMUNITY PARTNERS
Meet some of our many partners out in the community who are helping to make a difference!
OWEN YAMAGUCHI - Kailua-Kona, HI
"I was the Health and Safety Instructor for Kona Family YMCA, I taught part-time and ran the A-plus program at various schools for the Y. Then in November of 1999 I had a cardiac event, it happened while I was playing tennis. I was transported to Honolulu via air medical services. I had a stent put in and got back to Kona, I found no cardiac rehab support. I made it my a point to start helping people, I made contact with Pam (Foster). That’s where it all started. I got the cardiac rehab guys on Oahu to refer their patients if they needed help when they got back to Kona. The services I provided was free CPR training for their family, transportation to and from the docs, or pharmacy, or a ride to the market. But only one catch I was a survivor and so was the people I was trying to help. That’s where Pam and Kids4CPR (formerly known as Hawai’i Heart Foundation) came in, they donated a AED to me. Now I felt safer, and so did the people I was helping.
Along with volunteers we now train students, teachers, non-profits, sports teams, and community members the importance of learning CPR. The volunteers are EMTs, Paramedics, nurses, docs, active and retired. Oh yeah, I volunteer for AED Institute too."
- Owen Y
Owen
Cardiac Arrest Survivor
Cardiac Arrest Survivor
Pam Foster
Executive Director
Kids 4 CPR
Cardiac Arrest Survivors
KAUAI FIRE DEPARTMENT
“KFD started teaching CPR in schools all over Kaua‘i in the 2016 school year. The goal of the program is to have all students go through some type of CPR class three times before graduating. We generally try to catch them one time in elementary school, one time in middle school, and twice during high school. Right now we teach hands only CPR to the masses. Those students who are enrolled in the Health Career Pathways class have access to the complete CPR class.”
- Kauai Fire Department
The Kauai Fire Department established their community training program in 2014, by 2016 they were teaching CPR in 100% of Kauai’s schools--public, private, and charter!
Photo: With KFD's assistance, students from the Waimea High School Health Academy taught 4th grade students at neighboring Eleele Elementary, Kalaheo Elementary, and Kekaha Elementary schools!
MALIKA DUDLEY - Maui, HI
"I work as a Chief Meteorologist for Maui Now News and Big Island Now News. Three years ago, my daughter choked on a hair clip after waking up from a nap. She was 7 months old.
I found myself in a predicament that I never would have imagined, my worst nightmare. My husband - the family's hero in these types of situations - was away and I was all alone. Fortunately, my training kicked in from 3 years prior. I performed back blows and a blind finger sweep... which pushed the item farther down my daughter's throat. Eventually, I was able to remove the item from Waipuna's throat. I shared this story on my blog and motivated countless parents and caregivers to sign up for a CPR class.
After filling all of the AED institute's Maui classes and realizing there was a need for more classes, I became a certified CPR teacher and have been teaching on Maui for the last year.
More than 300 kids and adults have taken my free classes. My mission is to remove all barriers that might keep someone from taking a class. Providing classes that are free, at times when parents can take them and allowing for children to attend alongside their parents so they do not need to find childcare."
-Malika D
