The Disque Foundation Brings CPR Training to Hawaiian Youth
Nicholas Grant guiding students on how to perform CPR on infants in the Lunalilo Elementary Auditorium
In January, the Disque Foundation had the opportunity to meet in-person for the first time since 2019! In addition to this special reunion, they had the distinct privilege to partner with CPR 4 Kids to help train the 5th grade class at LunaLilo Elementary School in CPR & AED. CPR 4 Kids is a nonprofit aimed at empowering every school-aged child and their families with the knowledge needed to perform life-saving skills. Their mission and training style aligned with the Disque Foundation perfectly, resulting in a fun and collaborative day!
Nicholas Grant, a member of the Disque Foundation and a certified AHA instructor, had this to say about his experience “Being able to instruct children on how to save a life and watch them enjoy the process was such a pure experience. It was as if they understood the importance of knowing how to help because they wanted to be capable of it during life-threatening situations. The fact that such small and young humans could execute CPR so meaningfully confirmed my belief that anyone is capable of saving lives”.
The Disque Foundation proudly assisted CPR 4 Kids in ensuring every child, 41 to be exact, had the chance to perform CPR with hands-on training. The students showed great enthusiasm to learn and demonstrated excellent teamwork and listening skills. The team learned a new kid-friendly tune to pace compressions to– the popular children’s song “Baby Shark”. After the presentation, the kids at Lunalilo worked in groups of 3-4 while taking turns at chest compressions as it often can be tiring to maintain the proper pace and depth, all while happily chanting “Baby Shark”. Something that surprised Nicholas the most was “how engaged the children were and by how much they wanted to participate. By the end of the course, nearly every kid was volunteering and having fun!” Their youthfulness and lightheartedness reminded all Disque Foundation members how important and fun empowering people to save lives can be.
A pair of students demonstrating excellent chest compressions during their CPR training!
A surprising fact learned is that on the island of Oahu, there are only 21 ambulances to serve a community of over 900,000 –which means the average response time for EMTs/paramedics vary greatly resulting in life-threatening consequences. This scenario, as well as in rural communities elsewhere, is not uncommon and is yet another reason CPR training should be learned by groups of all ages. Jenna Tanigawa, of the AED Institute of Hawaii and Lead Instructor of the demonstration, brought the point home by having the 5th graders imagine a beloved family member or friend needing their assistance without having another adult around. Through engagement and determination, the students now have this important knowledge at their disposal. The 5th grade class have committed themselves to share their CPR training with the 4th grade class in an upcoming demonstration. By passing on this knowledge, they have the potential to save even more lives should a medical emergency arise. Their actions not only demonstrate a sense of responsibility, but also show that age is no barrier when it comes to performing acts of kindness and providing aid.
The DF team members worked alongside the students to help guide, encourage and show proper techniques
The foundation’s trip is a project of the Save a Life Initiative, a partnership between the Disque Foundation and National Health Care Provider Solutions (NHCPS), the most trusted name in online medical certification. The Disque Foundation is filled with gratitude to all those who made this trip possible, with a special thanks to the CPR 4 Kids team and Lunalilo Elementary School! They look forward to collaborating again in the near future with both organizations.
The Disque Foundation is committed to empowering others to save lives through health care education, CPR training and volunteering in communities that need a helping hand, we strive to live in a world where everyone is empowered to save lives. The Disque Foundation is already working toward empowering thousands more in 2023, we hope you’ll follow our journey.