Mother’s final wish comes true

A Cork woman has described how “time seemed to stand still” as she desperately searched for a defibrillator to save her dying mother’s life.

Last year, Brenda Lucey from Doneraile in county Cork suffered a sudden heart attack. To her loved ones’ dismay, there was no defibrillator to be found in the village.

Luckily, a first responder arrived just in time with a defibrillator allowing Brenda to spend three more precious weeks with her family and friends before passing away.

It was during those final weeks that Brenda expressed her deep concern that no family should have to endure what hers did in such a difficult moment. She made her family promise to do something about it.

“It was a day we will never forget,” Brenda’s daughter Gillian Lucey wrote on the Defib for Doneraile GoFundMe page.

The page was set up with an initial target of €3,000 which it reached in no time and now sits at over €4,000 just two days after being launched.

“Those weeks meant the world to us, a chance to say things that hadn’t yet been said, to appreciate the time we had been given,” continued Gillian.

“We want to ensure that our village has a readily accessible defibrillator that can save lives when they hang in the balance.”

According to heart and stroke charity Croí, heart disease is the most common cause of death in Ireland. The charity says 6,000 people have heart attacks in Ireland each year but many of these can be prevented.

It is reported that rapid access to a defibrillator as well as CPR can improve a person’s chances of survival by almost 90%.

“In loving memory of Brenda Lucey, we are launching this fundraiser to install a defibrillator that will be easily accessible to anyone in need within our community,” Gillian wrote. “This lifesaving device could make all the difference in an emergency, giving families more time with their loved ones, just as it did for us.

“Let’s come together and make this village a safer place for everyone. Your support, no matter how big or small, is greatly appreciated,” she added.