Fifteen-year-old Ivy was doing what she does every weekend: playing football for her local team, the Macarthur Rams. Then, mid-match, her heart stopped. Were it not for the quick actions of those around her and easy access to an automated external defibrillator (AED), Ivy would not be alive and well today.

Ivy’s story

Ivy’s mum, Eliza, never imagined cardiac arrest could happen to someone Ivy’s age. When she went into sudden cardiac arrest while playing, it was the people who knew what to do and access to an AED that saved Ivy’s life.  

“[The availability of a defibrillator] wasn’t just important, it was critical. If there hadn’t been a defibrillator there, she wouldn’t be here. I always associated it [sudden cardiac arrest] with something that happens to older, middle-aged people, not a young, fit and active child.” 

While Ivy’s story has a happy ending, for most people who suffer from sudden cardiac arrest, this is not the case. The reason that Ivy is here today is simple: someone knew what to do, and the equipment to do it with was right there. 

Around 32,000 Australians experience cardiac arrest outside of hospital every year, with roughly one in three of those happening right here in NSW. We tend to picture this happening to someone older, someone with an underlying health condition, or just someone else. Ivy was only 15 years old, fit, and running around on the football field surrounded by her teammates. 

For every minute someone in cardiac arrest goes without defibrillation, their chance of survival drops by 10%. When CPR is combined with a defibrillator in the first three to five minutes, survival rates can be as high as 70%.  

A shared mission

Toyota, Football NSW, and St John have come together for the Every Beat Matters campaign, with the goal to help clubs that do not currently have access to a defibrillator get one, with priority given to clubs without existing equipment, regional communities, and lower socio-economic areas. 

Toyota has generously donated a Corolla ZR Hatch which is being raffled to raise much needed funds for this important cause. All proceeds from the raffle go directly to getting more defibrillators into more clubs across the state. The funds raised will also support the ongoing maintenance of equipment, including replacement pads, batteries and servicing, ensuring defibrillators remain ready to use rather than simply being installed and forgotten. 

Toyota’s support is helping fund the equipment and rollout. Football NSW is opening the door to clubs and grounds across the state, from grassroots competitions to regional associations. St John is providing the defibrillators, the training, and the ongoing site support to make sure every unit is ready when it’s needed. 

It’s a simple idea with an outsized impact: put life-saving equipment where thousands of people already gather every single weekend, and make sure someone on the ground knows how to use it, the way someone did for Ivy.

Why this matters

An athlete collapsing mid-match, like what happened to Ivy, is part of why this matters. But everyone in the vicinity of the football club benefits from having an easily accessible defibrillator. The touchline is full of people of all ages well and fitness: there are coaches who have given twenty years to junior development, grandparents who never miss a game, volunteers who run the canteen, and the passer by walking their dog. 

A ground with a defibrillator and people trained to use it means someone is there when it counts. 

Through the 616 clubs across the state, Football NSW reaches into more communities than almost any other sporting body. Toyota’s backing means this rollout reaches well beyond a handful of grounds. It’s a real step toward making sure every ground has what Ivy’s did. 

Ivy’s story is a reminder that sudden cardiac arrest doesn’t discriminate. The best time to have a defibrillator on hand is before you ever need one, and thanks to our partnership with Football NSW and Toyota Australia for the Every Beat Matters campaign, more football grounds and the communities that use them will have access to these life-saving devices. 

You can help put more defibrillators on more sidelines for just $5. Buy your raffle ticket now for your chance to win a Toyota Corolla ZR hatch, with every ticket helping to get more defibrillators into football clubs across the state. 

 The winner will be announced at the NPL NSW Grand Final on Sunday 13 September so grab your tickets now!