Being prepared could save a life

Kingaroy mum pushing to bring CPR course to South Burnett

Samantha and Josephine Berechree. Picture: Madeline Grace

KINGAROY mother Samantha Berechree is doing everything she can to equip herself to best take care of her two-year-old daughter.

Mrs Berechree is working to bring a CPR workshop to town.

This service targets adults who have children younger than eight years old in their lives.

Parents, grandparents, child care workers, aunts, uncles, and potentially older siblings are encouraged to attend.

The three-hour workshop addresses what to do if a child under eight years is choking, has drowned, has stopped breathing, has been poisoned, or has had an allergic reaction.

"When you live rurally there are less medical services available,” Mrs Berechree said.

"Especially if a family lives out of town on a property there can be a longer wait time for an ambulance.

"So a parent knowing CPR for young children could be the difference between that child living or not.

"No mum ever thinks they're going to be in the situation where they need to know the skills to keep their own child alive. But it happens.”

For the course to go ahead, there needs to be 40 people keen to be involved.

"Being in a rural location we really need a decent amount of people interested so they will make the trip from the Sunshine Coast,” Mrs Berechree said.

She hopes to have the workshops in late July.

Costs would be $110 per participant.

"I would pay anything just to know I am fully prepared to save my daughter, Joey, if there was an accident,” Mrs Berechree said.

"You just can't put a price on your child's life.”

If you are interested in being involved, contact Samantha Berechree on [e-mail] or phone [phone].