Description

I’m a youth group leader at my church, and a big part of my role is making sure students can connect and have fun in a safe environment. I help run weekly gatherings, retreats, and events, so I’m usually one of the first on site when students are hanging out, playing games, or using the space.

The AED would go directly to our church’s youth ministry area where we meet on Fridays and Sundays and where most of our activities take place. Our youth group brings in a wide range of people, ranging from children, parents, and volunteers, so the space is often full of energy and large groups. Even though we do everything we can to keep things safe, the reality is that sudden cardiac arrest can happen to anyone, including young people, and although we have a couple first aid kits, there are no AEDs in the building.

I still think about the day I visited a friend’s church and watched someone survive a sudden cardiac arrest because an AED was there and used right away. I learned in school that in a medical emergency, seconds matter, and our church isn’t close to an immediate response. Having an AED on-site would give our youth ministry a reliable way to act quickly if something unexpected happened. For me, it’s about being able to protect the students and families who trust us every week. An AED would truly make our ministry space safer and give our team the ability to respond with confidence in a worst-case scenario.