News

Mass. Parents Push for Defibrillators in All Schools

07/07/2016

July 07--A group of local parents whose children either died of sudden cardiac arrest or suffer heart conditions are petitioning the state Senate to pass a bill that would mandate automated external defibrillators be in every public school and at every school event, alongside someone who knows how to operate the life-saving device.

A group of about 50 will wear T-shirts promoting Senate Bill 1191 when it visits the Statehouse Thursday. The group has appointments with state Sens. Mark C. Montigny, D-New Bedford, the bill's sponsor, and Harriette L. Chandler, D-Worcester. The group will also speak to staff in the governor's office and as many other lawmakers as it can.

The proposal sits in the Senate Committee on Rules.

"We've been told that's where bills go to die," said Deb Thibodeau of Holden, whose son Josh died in 2011 at age 12 after collapsing while playing soccer. An AED sat locked away in a nearby snack shack.

"I'm not sure if that's the case or not," Mrs. Thibodeau, a local spokesperson for the cause, said of the bill's status. "But we need to get that out of Rules and onto the floor for a vote before they go into recess at the end of July, or we're going to have to start all over again with this in September. We're in crunch time now."

Sudden cardiac arrest is a condition in which the heart unexpectedly stops beating. Blood stops flowing to the brain and other vital organs, and sudden cardiac arrest usually causes death if it's not treated within minutes, according to the National Institute of Health.

People who have heart disease are at higher risk for sudden cardiac arrest, and it can happen in people who appear healthy and have no known heart disease or other risk factors for sudden cardiac arrest, the NIH said.

AEDs can be used by bystanders to save their lives. The portable devices are often found in shopping malls, golf courses, businesses, airports, airplanes, casinos, convention centers, hotels, sports venues, schools and other public places, the NIH said.

The parents say part of the challenge of getting the measure passed is that it's not accompanied by a funding source. Close to 400 schools don't have an AED, which cost about $1,000 each, with another $200 needed to mount the devices to a wall.

The parents have suggested that grants, companies and clubs will help pay for AEDs.

"One thousand dollars isn't going to be a difficult thing for a school system to come up with," Mrs. Thibodeau said.

Another local parent, Luann Ellsessar, who lost two sons to sudden cardiac arrest, likened paying for the devices to the price of a school lunch for one child during the year.

In November 2010, 16-year-old Michael Ellsessar of Sutton died after a hard blow to the chest while playing football. An AED wasn't available on the field. Efforts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful.

In 2012, then Gov. Deval L. Patrick signed "Michael's Law," which instituted a medical emergency response plan for schools statewide. The call for AEDs was encouraged but removed from the effort.

On July 29, Michael's brother Timothy, 18, died of sudden cardiac arrest while boating and swimming on Lake Manchaug in Douglas.

In 2011, within a week of Josh's death, Kevin Major of Westfield died of a pre-existing, undetected heart condition while swimming. Kevin was 19.

Conversely, 15-year-old Tyler Symes' life was saved by an AED. Tyler was struck in the chest with a hockey puck and suffered from commotio cordis, which sent him into cardiac arrest. The resident of Millville was revived with an AED the athletic trainer had taken before the leaving school.

Mrs. Thibodeau said her 14-year-old Adam also has a heart condition, as does his soccer teammate, Ben Godbout of Sterling. Both will enter Wachusett Regional High School this fall.

The Thibodeaus purchased an AED for when Adam competes in soccer contests and practices. Mrs. Thibodeau or her husband, Ralph, sit with the device while Adam competes.

The Josh Thibodeau Helping Hearts Foundation of Holden gave an AED to the Godbouts after Ben's parents contacted them about his heart condition. It is for peace of mind, and since the two boys became teammates, the families' presence assures that at least two AEDs are within reach.

In general, Mrs. Thibodeau said, children who suffer heart conditions appear healthy and have passed physicals but haven't undergone EKG tests, which the parents are advocates of because "we know so many kids have these heart conditions."

In the cases of Michael and Tyler, both suffered blows to the chest but had no previous heart problem, meaning every child is at risk, the parent and spokeswoman said.

"It could be kids messing around in the hallway," Mrs. Thibodeau said, adding that an AED is on par with fire extinguishers, smoke detectors and other "common-sense" safety equipment.

"To have to fight to have these in our schools to me is a little bit maddening," she said.

Mrs. Chandler sits on the Rules Committee but was unavailable for comment when reached Wednesday. The parents say the lawmaker has assured them of her support.

Sens. James B. Eldridge, D-Acton, and Ryan C. Fattman, R-Webster, signed the bill. Mr. Fattman did not return a phone message Wednesday.

In addition to the Thibodeaus, a letter promoting the effort was signed by Susan Canning and Shannon Small of KEVS Foundation in Westfield; Barri Lynn and Stephen Godbout of Sterling; John and Mrs. Ellsessar of the Michael T. Ellsessar Memorial Fund in Sutton; Dawn and Ben Symes of Millville; and Grace Soultanian and Elizabeth Epkins of the Heartstrong Foundation in Lunenburg.