St. Monica Catholic Church
1001 Camino Pablo Moraga, CA 94556 Phone
925-376-6900
Public Access Defibrillation (PAD) Program
Campaign Will Raise Funds for Parish Defibrillator
For St. Monica Church
About 220,000 people die each year in the United States from sudden cardiac arrest. That’s 600 a day – an average of 25 per hour.
Cardiac arrest usually results from some underlying form of heart disease. Most cardiac arrests are due to abnormal heart rhythms called arrhythmias. Ventricular fibrillation (VF) is the most common arrhythmia that causes cardiac arrest.
Defibrillation is the only known therapy for VF. This technique of giving an electrical shock can restore the heart’s normal rhythm if it is done within minutes of the arrest. The Heart Association states that "for every minute that passes without defibrillation, a victim’s chances for survival decrease by 7 – 10 percent. After as little as 10 minutes, very few resuscitation attempts are successful".
Today, a new generation of portable, computer-controlled defibrillators, called Automated External Defibrillators (AED’s), make it possible for trained lay rescuers to deliver defibrillation. A rapidly increasing number of public gathering facilities have acquired AED’s for use in emergencies.
Our parishioner, Dr. Ed Ahearn, has recommended that an AED be acquired and made available at St. Monica. A key part of the program will be the training of the ushers in its use. Our parishioner, Dr. Steve Kinsey, will lead this aspect of the project.
A coordinating committee has been formed and the Men’s Club is coordinating a campaign throughout the Parish to purchase an AED. The St. Monica Seniors, Women’s Guild and Men’s Club have pledged $500 each as matching contributions. This means that each of the three organizations will match dollar-for-dollar the contributions that its respective members make, up to a maximum of $500 each. In other words, if the membership contributions of each organization total $500, each organization will match those gifts with $500. This, combined with donations from the Parish in general, will hopefully make up the $3,000 needed to fund the AED.
Your generous donation may help to save a life and will be greatly appreciated.
Please make checks payable to:
St. Monica/PAD
and mail to
St. Monica Men’s Club
P.O. Box 311
Moraga, CA 94556
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