Event celebrates Professor Frank Pantridge and his life-saving invention
Mayor Brian Bloomfield MBE and Councillor Margaret Tolerton, Chair of the council’s Heart City Group, welcomed guests and cardiac arrest survivors to Lagan Valley Island on Monday, October 3 to mark the 100th anniversary of Professor Pantridge’s birth.
Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council, which has donated 10 defibrillators to local organisations to mark the anniversary, was delighted to welcome as its special guest, Communities Minister Paul Givan.
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The Lagan Valley MLA handed out automated external defibrillators to several local sports clubs, marking the start of the roll-out of the Defibrillators for Sport initiative across Northern Ireland.
“The professor has left a lasting legacy with the invention of the mobile defibrillator and today celebrated a hero, whose mobile defibrillator has saved countless lives,” Councillor Tolerton said.
“We are delighted that survivors were with us this morning to celebrate this most special centenary and I would also like to thank those guests who attended who knew the professor, who was a Freeman of the City.
“I would like to pay tribute to the Heart City Working Group members who assisted with the event’s arrangements today,” she concluded.
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Claiming that Lisburn and Castlereagh is “leading the way” in terms of installing and distributing defibrillators, Councillor Bloomfield added: “We had a full Island Hall to celebrate the life Frank Pantridge. It was a very good event and very well organised.
“It was a great tribute to Frank Pantridge and to his invention that has saved the lives of thousands of people worldwide.”