Cardiac arrest teen to meet MP about campaign

Sam Mangoro, 17, of Lyndhurst Road, Worthing, suffered a cardiac arrest in March last year and was saved after teachers performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation and used a defibrillator.

He started the ‘All Heart Campaign’ to raise awareness for the need of defibrillators in schools and public places.

He was invited to meet shadow health secretary Andy Burnham on January 27 to discuss the issue at a conference in Westminster.

He said: “I wouldn’t be here right now if it wasn’t for the defibrillator. You can’t take this lifesaving piece of equipment for granted.

“We set up the Facebook group right after I had the cardiac arrest and we’ve had so much support since, its been amazing.”

The defibrillator, which had been installed at Sam’s school in Southampton only three weeks previously, was used to shock his heart a total of four times and save his life.

Sam, who has suffered from a heart condition since birth, was transferred to Southampton General Hospital where he remained in intensive care for three days, with a further three weeks on the cardiac ward. His campaign aims to change UK laws to make it mandatory for all schools to be supplied with the life­saving equipment and train staff in CPR.

With the funds raised via his website, he has also been able to buy defibrillators to donate to local schools over the past months, including Shoreham Academy.

He is now turning his attention to raising awareness of the need for the equipment in all public spaces.

“The campaign keeps growing and growing,” he said.

“I’ve been able to get the issue raised in Parliament during Prime Minister’s questions, and now coming into 2015 we are focusing on raising more and more awareness.”

Sam is set to appear with Dr Hilary Jones on Good Morning Britain and the comedy show Russell Howard’s Good News to raise awareness for the campaign.

He has also worked closely with the South Central Ambulance Service, and the charities SADS UK and AED Donate.

The 17-­year-­old now studies creative media at Northbrook College in his home town of Worthing, where he lives with his mum, dad and three younger brothers. For more about the ‘All Hearts Campaign’, visit facebook.com/allheartcampaign and to sign the Big Shock petition for compulsory defibrillators visit www.epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/61207