Cardiac arrest is attacking the province. Heart & Stroke Foundation places defibrillators in hockey arenas.

By Lynn Daley

A demonstration of how automated external defibrillators work and how a quick response can mean the difference between life and death. Photo contributed by the Newfoundland and Labrador Heart and Stroke Foundation

Glenn Tobin began his afternoon with a charity hockey game, followed by an evening with his wife Debbie that was supposed to be a celebration of their son’s graduation.

As they all busied themselves to get ready for the ceremonies, Debbie heard a noise. When she went downstairs to investigate, there she saw her husband face down on the floor.

“There was no warning, no nothing. It can happen that fast,” Tobin said.

On December 21, 2009, Glenn Tobin died at home from a sudden massive heart attack.  On Christmas Eve, Debbie Tobin buried her husband.

The following summer, some local officials contacted Debbie to see if she would allow them to carry on the annual hockey tournament in honour of her late husband and call it the Glenn Tobin Memorial.  She would also be the one to select the charity that all proceeds would be donated to.

“I decided to donate to the Heart & Stroke Foundation.”

The funds donated to Heart & Stroke Foundation stay  in the province, and a lot of the proceeds raised are going towards defibrillators that are being placed in public places such as hockey arenas.

In 2009, the Heart & Stroke Foundation started the Restart a Heart, Re-start a Life program that is placing Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) in venues across the province. The proposed three-stage process is well on its way.

The AED units, their installation and training for up to eight people costs about $4,000.  The availability of the AEDs in stadiums and schools has already proven to be life saving.

George Tilley, CEO of the Heart & Stroke Foundation in Newfoundland and Labrador, also recognizes the need and benefits this program is providing.

“With the high number of cardiac arrests that occur outside of a hospital setting,  it is clear to me that the more AEDs we have in public places, more lives will be saved because of it,” Tilley said.

Even though Debbie’s husband could not have been saved by the use of an AED, she does recognize the importance of having more of them that are accessible to the public.

Glenn wasn’t sick and had regular check ups. He was a healthy man as far as he knew but had a heart attack that killed him at age 52.

“It brought a lot of awareness to a lot of people because he was well-known in the community, and many have said if he could die of a heart attack, anybody could die of a heart attack,” Debbie said.

Debbie and her family continue to participate in events to raise funds and promote awareness.

“Between the bike, the golf and the hockey, whatever I can do, I put it back into the Heart & Stroke Foundation,” Debbie said.

The Glenn Tobin Memorial hockey game will possibly fall on the third anniversary of his death, December 21, 2012.

“I’ve been told the hockey game will continue as long as they have someone to lace up the skates,” Debbie said.

Tobin knows that her husband would be very proud to know that volunteers are still doing things for him even though he’s not here.

“It has made me think about things a lot differently.  I don’t worry about tomorrow; I live for today.”