Go East: Your Life is Safe There

Marathons; they’re not for everyone. Running over 26 miles in one go really does take some dedication. For many runners nowadays, running a marathon – even if it’s just the one - is the ultimate goal.

It’s no doubt that the majority of the runners entering a marathon are well trained and at their optimum fitness level to ensure their time is on target or less than they expected. A marathon is probably one of the most strenuous and demanding physical activities that you could put your body through. It’s not difficult to see why so many people opt out and watch the event. Athletes have to be prepared mentally and physically for the event.

Despite athletes training and preparing for the event, nothing can prepare you for a sudden cardiac arrest as it can attack anyone; even being the fittest athlete in the marathon, you are still vulnerable against SCA.

defibshop were pleased to learn that at the Shanghai International Marathon, the athletes and spectators were protected against sudden cardiac arrest thanks to the volunteers which gave up their time in order to train and perfect their life-skills in readiness for the big event.

Shanghai Bound

The Shanghai International Marathon is an annual event which takes place in the heart of the city, seeing runners from around the world flock to one of China’s most popular running events. As well as a full marathon, runners also have the option to run a half marathon.

Starting from the Bund Financial Bull, just at the curve of the Huangpu River, runners in this marathon endeavour to run from one curve of the river to the other, ending their adventure all the way in the Southern District of Shanghai.

On their travels, they visit Fuxing Park, Shanghai Municipal Waterworks, Longhua Martyr Memorial Hall and finish their run at Shanghai Stadium.

The winner of the Shanghai International Full Marathon 2016 on the men’s results, Stephen Mokoka, boasted an impressive time of 2 hours 10 minutes.

Supplied and Ready

Despite the serious runners likely being in tip top condition, as stated before, no one is immune from sudden cardiac arrest. Regardless of age, gender, current health condition and ethnicity, these factors do not account to the reasoning of falling victim to SCA.

The only definitive treatment for sudden cardiac arrest is effective CPR and defibrillation of the heart from a life-saving defibrillator device. At 2016’s marathon, Nihon Kohden supplied 55 of their AED-2001 devices, along with 70 volunteers who were trained by an American Heart Association (AHA) course. They were known as the ‘KOHDEN Rescue Team’.

Without the ‘KOHDEN Rescue Team’, the competitors of the marathon wouldn’t have been protected against sudden cardiac arrest and the event would not have been heart safe. Regardless of whether the athletes were in the best shape of their life, without these volunteers, the effective and definitive care against SCA could not have been delivered in the event of a cardiac arrest.

Great Expectations

During the Shanghai International Half Marathon, a man in his 30’s collapsed and fell victim to sudden cardiac arrest.

The patient collapsed close by to one of the Rescue Teams meaning that the vital, life-saving treatment was delivered within minutes. CPR was started immediately and the defibrillator device was retrieved and used. After 1 shock, the patient’s heart rhythm was corrected. The rescue’s success was broadcast on Chinese National TV on the morning news on November 31st.

In total, Nihon Kohden’s devices have saved 6 people in China and thanks to the introduction of the ‘Good Samaritan Law’ which was published in Shanghai City on November 1st; bystanders can do CPR and use an AED (if required) on the condition that they have been trained by the AHA or Red Cross. They expect this to expand to other cities in China and hopefully cover the whole of the country.

Training Time

Having readily available defibrillators in as many places as possible is the key to tackling the current sudden cardiac arrest fatality statistics. Almost anyone can use a defibrillator, you don’t have to be trained or qualified in any way to use a life-saving device.

So, has this inspired you to jet off to Shanghai and run in 2017’s marathon? Or maybe stay somewhere closer to home, like Manchester or London to enter into one of their marathons. Either way, share your thoughts with us in the comments section below, or alternatively, Tweet us to share your thoughts on the importance of defibrillators at marathons @defibshop.