NEW DEFIBRILLATOR AT LAGAN TOWPATH IN HONOUR OF MATTHEW THOMPSON

By Love Belfast

July 4, 2018

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LCCC PLAQUE 1 — Pictured at the new defibrillator and memorial plaque are Lauren McCaughtry with the Mayor of Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council, Councillor Uel Mackin. Following the tragic death of Lauren's partner Matthew Thompson Lauren set about fundraising to purchase a defibrillator, which is now located near the towpath in Lagan Valley Island.

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Pictured at the new defibrillator and memorial plaque are Lauren McCaughtry with the Mayor of Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council, Councillor Uel Mackin. Following the tragic death of Lauren’s partner Matthew Thompson Lauren set about fundraising to purchase a defibrillator, which is now located near the towpath in Lagan Valley Island.

Pictured at the Frank Pantridge memorial statue are Lauren McCaughtry with the Mayor of Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council, Councillor Uel Mackin and members of the Council’s Heart City Working Group. Following the tragic death of Lauren’s partner Matthew Thompson Lauren set about fundraising to purchase a defibrillator, which is now located near the towpath in Lagan Valley Island.

In honour of Matthew Thompson, who tragically died while jogging along the Lagan Towpath, Lisburn in 2016, a portable defibrillator has now been fitted at the Lock Gates at Lagan Valley Island along with a memorial plaque.

Thanks to the fundraising efforts of Matthew’s partner, Lauren McCaughtry, who purchased the defibrillator, this life-saving equipment is available and fittingly placed in this location.

Lauren recently visited Lagan Valley Island and met the Mayor, Councillor Uel Mackin and members of the Heart City Working Group, which was set up by Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council to raise awareness and funds for the British Heart Foundation.

Speaking about the latest addition to the network of portable defibrillators across the city Lauren said: “I’m delighted to have the defibrillator installed near to the towpath and hope for the public to benefit from it in the future. It is a fitting tribute to Matthew, who was so full of life, that he could possibly save a life in the future.”

The Mayor expressed his gratitude to Lauren and said: “This life-saving piece of medical equipment is there to save lives. I would like to thank Lauren for purchasing the defibrillator and working with the Council on this initiative. Out of such a tragedy she was able to do something so positive and I hope that Lauren and Matthew’s family and friends find comfort in doing something so selfless in remembering Matthew. It is so fitting for Lauren and the working group to stand beside the memorial bronze statue of Professor Frank Pantridge who invented the portable defibrillator. We owe so much to this great inventor from Hillsborough.”

He continued: “The work that the Council is doing with the Heart City Working Group is all about reducing the number of deaths from heart disease and cardiac arrest and the installation of portable defibrillators has been forefront in this work.”

The Heart City Defibrillator project involved working with community partners and private individuals to secure a total of 12 Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) and cabinets. Ten of the AEDs were funded by Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council following the Professor Frank Pantridge celebration event in October 2016 with the other 2 AEDs provided by members of the public following tragedies within their families.

The locations of the 12 AEDs are:-