BRAMPTON, Ontario, May 11, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Leadership students from Jean Augustine Secondary School introduced more than 100 Grade 8 students at Eldorado Public School to lifesaving CPR and AED training. The event was organized by Eldorado Public School’s Grade 8 teacher Lindsay MacOdrum and the ACT Foundation, the national charity setting up free CPR and AED training programs in high schools throughout the Peel Region and across Canada.
Ms. MacOdrum was personally impacted by the power of CPR when her life was saved by her stepson, Maddox. Inspired by this experience, she is now a passionate advocate for expanding access to lifesaving training, beginning with Grade 8 students in her school community.
“I was healthy, active, and never imagined this could happen to me. Then all of a sudden, my heartbeat was gone in an instant. In that moment, someone chose to act. Because they knew CPR, my heart found its rhythm again and my brain is fully functioning,” said Lindsay MacOdrum. “Their courage didn’t just save me, it gave me more time, more memories, more life. I am here because they knew what to do, and I will always be forever grateful. CPR SAVES LIVES!”
“We are so proud of this leadership initiative where senior students are sharing lifesaving skills with their young peers at the elementary school level,” said Sandra Clarke, Executive Director, ACT Foundation. “It is a wonderful extension of the high school CPR and AED program the ACT Foundation sets up for free in all high schools. And we applaud Ms. MacOdrum for her role in bringing this training to Grade 8s.”
“Our government recognizes the importance of access and training for CPR and AEDs,” said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “That is why our government is providing faster access to defibrillation by supporting the development of Ontario’s first AED registry – enabling people to be directed to their nearest public AED when every second counts,” said Hon. Sylvia Jones, Minister of Health and Deputy Premier.
“We congratulate Ms. MacOdrum, the leadership students, and the Grade 8 students for their commitment to saving lives. AstraZeneca Canada is proud of its support of ACT in bringing the high school CPR and AED program to the Peel Region and across Canada,” said Gaby Bourbara, President, AstraZeneca Canada. “As a founding partner of the ACT Foundation, we’re committed to supporting individuals making a meaningful impact on the health of our communities through health education, training and resources.”
“Congratulations to Ms. MacOdrum and Maddox. Their story is a powerful reminder that CPR training saves lives. As a founding partner of the ACT Foundation, AstraZeneca Canada is proud to support initiatives that empower young Canadians with critical lifesaving skills. Seeing high school leaders pass that knowledge on to elementary students shows the ripple effect this program can have in building stronger, healthier communities across Canada,” said Gaby Bourbara, President, AstraZeneca Canada
“Amgen is honoured to have supported the roll out of ACT’s lifesaving program throughout the Peel Region and to be a longstanding national health partner of the ACT Foundation,” said Ugur Gunaydin, Vice-President and General Manager, Amgen Canada. “Together, we will continue to inspire the next generation, advance excellence in science literacy, help educators to teach more effectively, and improve access to resources for teachers, students and society at large.”
To date, more than 3.3 million Ontario students have been trained to save lives through ACT’s High School CPR and AED Program, and 165,000 more students are trained by their teachers every year.
About the ACT Foundation The Advanced Coronary Treatment (ACT) Foundation is the national charitable organization establishing free CPR and AED training in Canadian high schools. ACT establishes High School CPR and AED Programs, where teachers are trained to teach students the following: how to recognize a life-threatening medical emergency; safety issues and emergency scene management; CPR and how to use an AED; and how to respond to a suspected opioid overdose, a new aspect of the program. ACT’s partners committed to bringing the program to Ontario are the Government of Ontario, our national health partners AstraZeneca Canada and Amgen Canada, Hydro One Inc., and many community partners. To date 6.6 millions students have been trained by their teachers in 1,800 high schools and 350,000 students more students each year. The ACT Foundation gratefully acknowledges the contribution of Health Canada’s Substance Use and Addictions Program (SUAP) for ACT’s Opioid Overdose Response Training program.
