Over 13 years since the Oliver King foundation was founded our defibrillators that we have placed up and down the country have saved 87 lives that we know of, the youngest being 4. Every life saved gives us the same feeling as the first one and that's what drives us to continue our work.
Here are some of their stories in their words.
On the last day of last summer term, as I was getting ready to shout out to 900 parents that 477 children were about to come out of the building…for one last time…let’s have a round of applause for our Year 6 leavers!!!
I collapsed, my heart had stopped.
Mark had visited the school years before and we had a defib installed. The staff were always highly trained.
The previous term the children had a fundraiser for 4 more defibs to spread around the school.
It was one of these that saved my life…along with my staff, my pupils, the surgeons and the NHS…I also owe my life to Oliver and the work of Mark.
I go back to work in a few weeks- I’ve avoided any media until now to recover- it took the footballer 8 months before his first match…it’s taken me just 6 months to make the decision to return.
As I say, it’s a longer story but I wanted to send out my first message of thanks today.I hope to become part of the training message that now needs to go out to all schools- it’s easy!
I’ll be in touch and am happy to contribute where I can with whatever message is needed. I wasn’t expecting to do this message this morning as it’s a much longer and dramatic story, so I’ll just leave it now with …. thank you!
John Harkin, 35, was told his heart stopped for 27 minutes at the Old Xaverians vs Larkin game in Childwall, Liverpool in March.
Larkin centre-half Alex Megias, who works at Aintree Hospital, ran over and put him in the recovery position.
He performed CPR and asked others to fetch the on-site defibrillator.
Mr Harkin was taken to hospital and put in an induced coma for two days.
"The fact that I woke up after such a long time and got full brain function is a miracle so I'm very, very grateful for being given a second chance," he told BBC Radio Merseyside.
The schoolteacher from Liverpool said he did not recall collapsing shortly after heading the ball.
Mr Megias said: "I had to shock him twice before the ambulance came round.
"I'm trained to do a lot of things in a hospital environment, where you have a team and drugs on access.
"But while you're out there on you own in the mud, it's really difficult. I felt powerless."
Mr Harkin remembers "not feeling fantastic" after waking up, adding: "I think it's more difficult for the people around you to see you in that state and then be told by doctors that maybe you're not going to make it."
He described staff who treated him at Royal Liverpool Hospital as "incredible" and recalled meeting Mr Megias.
"I just said thanks very much for saving my life," he said.
"It's a very strange thing to say that to somebody but he couldn't have been more humble - a great guy - it was a really nice moment to shake his hand and say thanks very much.
"And it's true, if it wasn't for him and his quick-thinking - his actions - I wouldn't be here so I appreciate it."
Mr Harkin said it would "take a long time" for him to make a full recovery and called on all sports clubs to have defibrillators on-site, with staff trained in how to use the life-saving devices as well as CPR.
I wanted to thank you for donating a defibrillator to Baby Ace and his family.
I can’t even begin to tell you how grateful myself, the team at the Royal Brompton Hospital and of course Ace’s family are for this generous donation, and the lengths at which you went Mark to deliver this personally- it made it all the more poignant.
Unfortunately, as you are aware defibrillators are currently rarely available via NHS funding. Baby Ace required one to enable him to safely be discharged home with his family. Without your kind support, Ace going home may not have been possible or certainly would have been significantly delayed.
The work that you and the Oliver King Foundation are doing in honour of your son is truly amazing, and a much-needed resource to children at risk of sudden death.
Please kindly keep us updated on the terrific work you and the team are up to and do so let us know if we can ever possibly be of any help.
Once again, our sincerest gratitude.
I am writing to you tell you about my experience with the Oliver King Foundation, a charity - I understand you are aware of and have supported - who kindly donated a defibrillator to my son, Woody age 11.
Both Woody and I suffer from Long QT Syndrome, a form of arrhythmia and a genetic heart condition. This is the same condition that Oliver King tragically passed away from, age 12 in 2011.
My condition was diagnosed around 20 years ago when I, unlike Oliver was fortunate enough to survive a collapse. I have since been fitted with an implantable defibrillator. Woody was diagnosed at birth and is a happy healthy child, taking medication for his condition. He is seen regularly under the Royal Brompton Hospital and does not have an implantable defibrillator at this stage.
Prior to Woody starting at secondary school (Turing House, Hampton) a few weeks back, I started discussions with the school regarding Woody's medical healthcare plan and the need to have a defibrillator near to him whenever possible at school and off site for school activities, including trips, sporting events and residentials. With one defibrillator available to the school, it was going to prove difficult to accompany Woody off site when the defibrillator is positioned for the benefit of all children and staff.
The Royal Brompton recommended I was in touch with the Oliver King Foundation. Oliver's father, Mark King who you have met, kindly drove the defibrillator from Liverpool to us in Twickenham a few weeks ago.
In December, Mark visited 20-month-old Isabelle and her family at Alder Hey to present her with her own defibrillator.
Boxing day 2021 they lost their beautiful 3-year-old son Alexander. They have recently been informed he died of a genetic abnormality called PPA2 Mutation. Their other children were tested and unfortunately for Isabelle she is also affected. Doctors know very little about the condition but know Isabelle is at risk of a sudden cardiac arrest at any time. She now has her own defibrillator at home.
Jay Blake – 2023 Suffers from Severe cardiomyopathy and is also fitted with an ICD. His consultants were keen for Jay to have his own AED at home as he is high risk due to his complex diagnosis. The Royal Brompton reached out to the Oliver King Foundation and Mark did not hesitate in driving to London in July 23 to meet the family and present them with their own defibrillator.
Jay Blake Suffers from Severe cardiomyopathy and is also fitted with an ICD. His consultants were keen for Jay to have his own AED at home as he is high risk due to his complex diagnosis. The Royal Brompton reached out to the Oliver King Foundation and Mark did not hesitate in driving to London in July 23 to meet the family and present them with their own defibrillator.
We came across your website as we were looking into trying to secure an AED here at our school, in Kenya. This is following the tragic loss of a teenage boy (a sibling of one of our pupils, in 2021) whilst playing football after school here.
Our school is located quite far from a hospital, and his life was not able to be saved, despite rigorous CPR. Of course, as a community we are still hugely affected by this loss.
We would very much like to have an AED moving forward, though the cost is prohibitive for us, having a modest budget and many sponsored pupils.
I am aware that you are a UK based charity, but being an international school, we do have quite a number of British citizens, and I am myself British, having moved out here 20 years ago to teach - but not sure if that helps at all!
Or if you are not able to support a school in Kenya, perhaps you might know of other organisations that can assist with world-wide support to schools?
We look forward to hearing from you, with warmest respect for your hugely valuable work.
I am the daughter of the man who collapsed in the Rotunda gym this morning.
My name is Lesley Jayne, and I would like to say thank you so much for helping to save my dad’s life. Without the equipment you provided to the boxing club are family would be facing different circumstances; my dad is called Terry, and we have all been in to see him tonight. He is alive but poorly, but we’re all so grateful for everyone’s help in giving us an opportunity to have our dad here. I would be really grateful if I could come and thank you all in person, as I am unable to put into words what I want to say to you in an email.
I was at football last night. We play 7 a side every Friday at Activity for All just off Horby Rd, Liverpool.
I noticed something that I hadn’t before, the defib we have there was donated by yourselves. Thank you! That defib saved my friends life just over two months ago. Without it there is no doubt he would not be here today. I will find a way to help you help others.
The spirit of Oliver lives on through others, I appreciate that a very powerful statement but it is but true! Exactly one week ago my husband suffered a heart attack playing indoor bowls at a local school (Prescot High school) & apparently he was probably dead before he hit the floor, however, on for quick action by a number of individuals providing CPR & using a defibrillator was the only thing that saved his life. The campaigns you have done through Liverpool & the country made a difference to save a life. As a family we cant thank you enough. More importantly we owe everything to Oliver. I could go on & on..... but the words I find will never be enough to make you understand the difference you have made to our lives. God bless.
Just to let you all know what a great job you did in helping us in getting the defibrillator fitted in Sefton Park.
The defibrillator which you helped us to fit in Sefton Park, has saved a Man’s life.
A group of runners saw him collapse in Sefton park and used the defibrillator to save him.
He is fit and well, due to everyone’s combined efforts.
Following our conversation this morning I said I would send you some details of the critical incident we had recently at our event.
Nearly 7 years ago here at Darlington parkrun we received a defibrillator via the Oliver King Foundation from funds raised in memory of the sad and tragic loss of Darren Ablewhite at a Liverpool parkrun event.
I want to let you know that on the morning of the 4th December this year we had cause to use the defibrillator after the collapse and cardiac arrest of one of our runners. I am very pleased and relieved to be able to tell you that following the actions of those present and a very quick response from the Ambulance Service the runner in question is reported to be making a great recovery.
Can you please forward this information to Mark and thank him for his tremendous work and the training he provided to us when he came up to Darlington. Also should you have any contact with Sefton parkrun and Darren’s then girlfriend and his family I would be grateful if you could let them know that their kind donation has saved a life here in Darlington. I do not have any contact details for them anymore.
Following an appeal to our event enough was raised in 24 hours for us to purchase a dedicated new defib unit for our parkrun and the now ageing Lifepak model is being replaced by our local Foundation Trust and reinstated in South Park in Darlington for community use. I believe that parkrun policy is now that all events should have their own dedicated defibs available.
Despite all the frustrations I am sure you come across it is amazing how far you have managed to move the agenda forward. Change is hard won.
I hope this is the right channel to contact Mark on. I wanted to say thank you from the bottom of my heart. On Friday my husband had a heart attack in school while prepping the playground for the year 6 leavers. The staff started CPR withing 30 seconds and one of the six defibs on the school site were used. Six defibs because subsequent to Mark's visit to my husband’s school - Birkdale Primary in Southport they had a sponsored bounce in order to fund raise for more defibs.
He is in Liverpool Heart and Chest CCU at the moment and the plan is for a pacemaker and internal defib. I know he'll contact you when he is well but just wanted to let you know and send you much most heartfelt gratitude.
In 2018 Camgrain Stores Ltd - Carried out the training of its staff with the help of the Oliver King Foundation. On Thursday 6th October 2022 this training was put to the test when a contractor working on site unfortunately had a heart attack. The defibrillator that we have installed on all of our sites undoubtedly
saved his life. I can report the patient who after some fantastic work from quick thinking staff and paramedics is on the road to recovery and will be returning to his family shortly.
Thank you and we will keep spreading the word you never know when it will happen.
We received a defibrillator from Marc in November 22 for our football club St Mary’s Old Boys Veterans in Crosby.
On Saturday 13th January 24, I used the defibrillator successfully for one of our team who suffered a cardiac arrest. He was shocked within minutes of him collapsing and saved his life. He was taken by ambulance to Broadgreen Hospital where he will undergo a triple bypass operation on Thursday.
In terms of the defibrillator do I have to return it to get new pads ? I cannot thank you enough for the machine which without doubt gave us a positive outcome in what could have been such a tragic situation.
Every donation, no matter the size, is a step toward creating a safer, healthier future. We deeply appreciate your support in helping us continue our mission to save lives and honour Oliver’s legacy. Together, we can make sure that no one has to face a cardiac emergency without the right tools, training, and support.
