Shocking Event - Cardiac Arrest of Gr12 Student in Winnipeg

Reading this was a shock - the apparently healthy, with no known health risk indicators collapsed after a soccer practice at one of Winnipeg's oldest Private Schools.

While one parent in the audience -- a doctor -- rushed forward to perform CPR, a student fetched one of SJR's two defibrillator machines. The doctor attempted to rescucitate the boy with the defibrillator until paramedics arrived. The teen was rushed to Children's Hospital, where he died.

There was no indication the student was feeling unwell before his collapse, Johnson said, and the school was not aware of anything in his medical history that might have made playing sports a known risk.

Having portable defibrillators - or even ability to provide CPR - seems to be key.

Organization mentioned is ParentHealthWatch.

[Update: Oct 13, 2011 - Bystander CPR Proposed in Canada.   Current Position Statement ]