“If you have the power to change the world for the better, you should do it.”
James McGregor
Living in Dickinson has never been so safe. For your heart, that is.
Pat Billings, an RN/BSN Educator at CHI has been dedicated to making Dickinson a Cardiac Ready Community – a designation that means our town has an abundance of life-saving equipment and educated members to provide CPR and AED Rescue in the event of a cardiac arrest. Meaning, you and I and our families are well protected knowing that help is often literally around the corner.
“We aren’t there yet,” Pat says. “Covid slowed the process down, but I’ll keep going until we are. I would teach CPR and AED rescue even into retirement.”
Her achievements include getting AEDs in every police vehicle as well as into populated public spaces.
Pat Billings has been drawn to saving and preserving life through CPR/AED Rescue since the early days of her nursing career.
“I don’t know why,” she says. “This has always been something I’m passionate about.”
Wife to Mark Billings and mom to three grown children, Pat was part of the Change Network two years ago, a year-long cohort study program designed to build leaders, connect networks and bring positive change to the community. As a part of that prestigious cohort, Pat secured grant funding that provided the educational equipment she uses now to prepare the public on how to respond well in an emergency.
Coming in September, Pat will be an integral presenter at the Women Empowering Women Well-Women Care outreach event to Hispanic and African American women in our area.
“I participated in the event last year and had so much fun!” says Billings. “The women were all so receptive and interested in one-handed CPR.”
She notes that the AEDs in the community can be set to give instructions in English or Spanish, increasing accessibility. AEDs give simple commands and can make the difference between life and death.
The Well-Women Care event will feature one-handed CPR and AED rescue instruction with Pat; cervical cancer awareness and screening with Connect Medical Clinic; and breast care awareness and screening with Women’s Way.
The event is September 26, 2022 at the Veteran’s Pavilion. Hispanic and African American women are invited to attend. This is a free event and there will be translators available for each care station.
Kudos is a program of the local nonprofit organization Women Empowering Women. The program recognizes the good works women do. These are women who’ve lived quietly, joyfully or creatively to influence our lives. They are an inspiration and deserve to be recognized for their efforts and impact. Women Empowering Women is dedicated to the collaboration of women to meet needs and helping women become the best versions of them self. To learn more see http://wewnetwork.org
