The Cayman Heart Fund continues its support of the Cayman Islands Health Service Authority (HSA) through a generous donation following its 8th annual Discovery Day 5k. With the goal of purchasing a new ambulance for the HSA, the Cayman Heart Fund (CHF) is fundraising through events over the course of the year, such as the Discovery Day Walk and its inaugural celebration of World Heart Day.

“The 2015 Discovery Day 5k attracted a record number of participant’s including competitive runners, families, walking groups, and even a couple expecting a baby! I was thrilled to see so many people come and raise money for such a worthwhile cause,” said Christine Gibbs, Race Director and owner of A Step Ahead Physiotherapy. Nadira Lord, CHF committee member and daughter to the late Ken Chand after whom the 5K walk is named, proudly stated that “the support received from the sponsor and public this year was amazing and the atmosphere on the day was incredible.”

Since inception in 2008, the Discovery Day 5K has raised funds for several pieces of important cardiac equipment such as; a new ultrasound probe in the George Town Hospital children’s ward, new AED units in schools across Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac — and now this year, towards the purchase of a new ambulance.

Cayman Heart Fund board member, Dr. Bella Beraha reiterated the importance of reducing delay to improve cardiac outcomes, “Time is of the essence and outcomes are greatly changed depending on how quickly medical professionals are able respond.”

Mr. Stephen Duval highlighted the importance of public awareness and ambulance response times adding that “having a robust fleet of vehicles and building capacity for the future is something we have to plan for, so this donation from the Cayman Heart Fund is most valuable.”

According to the Cayman Heart Fund, cardiovascular disease remains the most common health problem in the Cayman Islands. As cardiovascular disease continues to increase, demand on health services, particularly the ambulance service has intensified.

At a community level, awareness programmes, CPR training and training in the use of automated external defibrillators have been rolled out in some school and corporate settings by the Cayman Heart Fund. However, the Fund also advocates that every individual should recognise early warning signs of a cardiovascular event. Immediate recognition of these early warning signs will in turn lead to a swifter and comprehensive 911 call.

CEO Ms Lizzette Yearwood, personally thanked Cayman Heart Fund, saying “we are always grateful for the strong support offered by the wider community through organisations such as the Cayman Heart Fund. It is through partnerships such as these that we are able to provide the best possible medical care to all residents of the Cayman Islands.”