Last week, the HeartSafe NWE project team had the incredible opportunity to travel to Leuven, Belgium, for a consortium meeting hosted by our project partner, KU Leuven. This meeting coincided with a historic milestone—KU Leuven’s 600-year anniversary celebrations—and we were honored to be part of this momentous occasion.
A Unique Setting for Collaboration
KU Leuven, one of Europe’s most prestigious universities, invited us to witness a special event where the hospital opened its doors to the public. This was a fantastic chance for medical professionals and researchers to showcase their specialties and engage with the community.
For our HeartSafe NWE team, this event was not just about celebrating the university’s legacy but also about strengthening collaboration, sharing progress on our project, and exploring new opportunities to enhance community response to cardiac arrests.
Promoting Citizen Response and CPR Training
A key highlight of the KU Leuven Heartsafe team was the promotion of Burgerhulpverleners.be, KU Leuven’s citizen responder platform. This platform plays a crucial role in connecting trained first responders with cardiac arrest victims in their vicinity.
As part of the festivities, visitors had the chance to receive hands-on CPR training, reinforcing the importance of immediate bystander intervention in increasing survival rates for out-of-hospital cardiac arrests. Engaging with the public in this way was a powerful reminder of how community participation is essential in saving lives.
Strengthening Our Mission Across Borders
This consortium meeting was an invaluable opportunity for our partners to discuss project progress, share insights, and learn from each other’s experiences. Leuven’s commitment to community-based emergency response aligns perfectly with our efforts in Galway and beyond.
We left Leuven inspired by the dedication of our project partners and energized to continue building a stronger, more connected network of citizen responders across North-West Europe.
Looking Ahead
With the knowledge gained from our visit, we are more motivated than ever to drive forward our efforts in Galway and beyond. We extend our gratitude to KU Leuven for hosting us and for their continued commitment to advancing citizen-led emergency response initiatives.
💡 Want to be part of the solution? Register as a responder or add your AED to our database at Burgerhulpverleners.be and help save lives.
Stay tuned for more updates from HeartSafe NWE, and thank you to KU Leuven for an unforgettable experience! 🚑💙