Hospital da Luz Póvoa de Varzim delivered on September 11 an automated external defibrillator (AED) to Póvoa’s Sports Club – Basketball. The device will make all the difference in the assistance to possible situations of cardiorespiratory arrest, since it increases the chances of reversal and survival, thus reinforcing safety for athletes, technical staff and collaborators, as well as all those who attend the pavilion Fernando Linhares de Castro, where over a thousand matches take place every year. This is already the fifth AED offered by Hospital da Luz Póvoa de Varzim, after the ones delivered to Colégio de Amorim, Colégio do Forte, Escola Secundária Rocha Peixoto, and Escola Secundária Eça de Queirós. However, this is the first device offered to a sports club. The initiative happens in the context of Hospital da Luz commitment to promote health, prevention, and safety near the community, contributing to a faster and more effective response in case of cardiac emergency. To complement the equipment installation, training was also provided to CD Póvoa collaborators on Basic Life Support (BLS) and AED use, ensuring that people are prepared to act in case of emergency until the arrival of specialized emergency means. The delivery of the device was made by Sérgio Viana, Hospital da Luz Póvoa de Varzim managing director, and João Dias, representative from Femédica, the training agency, to Sérgio Duarte, CD Póvoa president. Sérgio Viana stated that this offer is another step raising awareness in the community to the importance of prevention. The Hospital da Luz representative defended the need to extend the number of such equipment in schools, sports clubs and other spaces of high attendance, stressing the impact it may have on survival in cases of cardiorespiratory arrest. And Sérgio Duarte agreed that the AED represents a significant reinforcement of the safety conditions at CD Póvoa, club that presently counts with around 900 athletes, 52 teams and over a thousand matches per year. With this initiative, Hospital da Luz Póvoa de Varzim fulfils its mission of proximity to the community. Projects such as this go beyond healthcare provision, contributing to prevention in health and a safer environment.
