Life-saving motorbike
An Israeli family has celebrated Purim for a special reason…it marks the first anniversary of a life-saving action by by a motor-bike unit of Magen David Adom.
Tamar Piller, Ari Kucher, Natalie Itzkowic and Simon Friedlander
Nati Regev, a long-term volunteer of Magen David Adom and an on-call paramedic in the motorbikes first responders unit, heard his pager beeping 20 minutes before the reading of the book of Esther last year. He was able to save the life of a 57-year-old man who had collapsed as a result of a heart attack a few blocks from the paramedic’s home. Within 90 seconds, Regev was giving CPR to a man who had been on his way to the same reading of the Book of Esther.
It is common knowledge that a victim can die within minutes of cardiac arrest. The first response team of Magen David Adom is designed to deal with these emergencies. Had Regev not had the mobility to respond to this emergency, the patient would have been at high risk of losing his life
Following the death of a 21-year-old Yale sociology student, USA TODAY conducted an 18-month investigation in to emergency response efficiency. The student, Julie Rusinek, died of sudden cardiac arrest, a condition USA TODAY claims serves as one of the truest measures of an emergency system’s effectiveness.
“Whether victims live or die depends primarily on how fast they get treatment,” USA TODAY’s Robert Davis said adding “people die needlessly because some cities fail to make basic, often inexpensive changes in the way they deploy ambulances, paramedics and fire trucks,“
When Alan Bermeister (President of Magen David Adom NSW) told Sydney-based creative professional Ari Kucher that Magen David Adom’s first response unit was heavily under resourced, Kucher teamed up with Natalie Itzkowic and Tamar Piller from digital start-up Red Gaffa, and copywriter Simon Friedlander to spearhead a new campaign for Young Magen David Adom (YMDA).
The campaign, aimed at youth, is unique in its approach and is peppered with social media connections, user interactivity, standing out as the first crowd funding campaign of its kind.
Appealing to the passion and pockets of young people, the campaign allows for the youth to play their part to help save lives by contributing as little as one dollar. But as with anything focusing on the attention of Gen Y, an element of fun has been introduced in giving to charity. The money donated goes towards buying a ‘part’ of a first-response motorbike, and by connecting with Facebook, the donor’s picture will be posted on the funky face-up backdrop.
This Purim, last year’s 57-year-old heart attack victim dressed up as a paramedic with his grandson, and attended the reading of the book of Esther together thanks to Nati’s medical response.
The British desk announced that the motorbike Nati rode to arrive first to the patient’s home, had been donated by a British donor – Tobias Harbour .
Many lives can be saved at your hands, by ensuring MDA has enough first-response motorbikes. Join the campaign. Visit www.ymda.org.au
Check the teaam’s creative fundraising campaign….
YMDA Bike Initiative from YMDA Australia on Vimeo.
