School defibrillators: Father welcomes government's commitment

The father of a boy who died from an undetected heart condition has said "a 10-year weight" was lifted when the education secretary committed to plans for defibrillators in all schools.

Mark King's son Oliver, 12, died when his heart stopped in a swimming lesson in Liverpool in 2011.

Nadim Zahawi said Oliver's "incredibly upsetting" story highlighted the need for the devices in schools.

Mr King said it had been "a rollercoaster" of emotions.

In a tweet Mr Zahawi said: "I'm committed to working with the [Oliver King] Foundation so that all schools have [defibrillators]. Let's make this happen."

Mr King told BBC Radio Merseyside: "As a dad, I wasn't prepared to sit back and let other families go through what we went through.

"I want defibrillators to be as common as fire extinguishers."

Sales of defibrillators, which give an electric shock to the heart, rose after footballer Christian Eriksen survived a cardiac arrest during Euro 2020.

Mr King set up the Oliver King Foundation in 2012 to raise awareness of Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome and to place Automated External Defibrillators across the UK.

His campaign has also gained the backing of former Liverpool and England footballer, Jamie Carragher, who attended the meeting with Mr Zahawi on Thursday.

He became involved after the foundation installed a defibrillator in his gym, which then went on to be used when someone collapsed.

"Jamie called me and said he understands the importance of these defibrillators," Mr King said, adding: "He has since stood shoulder-to-shoulder with me."

Mr Carragher thanked the education secretary on Twitter for his "commitment to making this happen", adding it was a "big day" for Mr King and the foundation "who have worked so hard for this moment".

The Oliver King Foundation has already placed over 6,000 defibrillators in schools, community centres and gyms and has trained 130,000 people in CPR - which Mr King said had directly helped to save 60 lives.

He said he hopes the remaining schools without defibrillators will receive them within the next 12 months.

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