The collaboration, which began in 2023, has provided 32 life-support bags to communities across Ireland.
The bags, which contain a defibrillator, a resuscitation kit and a medical diagnostic kit, have been used more than 400 times by CRITICAL’s teams of emergency medical responders and community first responder (CFR) groups.
They have saved multiple lives including that of a 13-year-old boy from Newcastle West in Limerick who suffered a cardiac arrest in February 2024.
Canada Life Reinsurance is now sponsoring the cost of the medical supplies and equipment used by one of our doctors who volunteers to respond to life-threatening emergencies in Dublin.
CRITICAL and Canada Life Reinsurance was one of three charity partnerships shortlisted for the 2025 Chambers Ireland Sustainable Business Impact Award.
David Tighe, CEO of CRITICAL said, “Our partnership with Canada Life Reinsurance is having a huge impact in towns, villages and cities across Ireland. One of the first recipients of the life support bags was the CRITICAL Community First Responder group in West Limerick. That group was first to arrive at the scene when 13-year-old Ewan John Sabu from Newcastle West collapsed while playing soccer in February 2024. They worked with his coaches and emergency services to restart his heart and save his life. It is thanks to partnerships like this that we are able to expand our services to more locations across the country and we are very grateful for the support provided by Canada Life Reinsurance.”
Fergus Cooney, Head of Sustainability at Canada Life Reinsurance added, “Canada Life Reinsurance is honoured to partner with Critical Care in advancing community-based emergency healthcare initiatives across Ireland. Through this collaboration, we are helping to strengthen emergency response capabilities and support vital services that make a tangible difference in the lives of individuals and families nationwide. This partnership reflects our shared commitment to building healthier, more resilient communities.”
CRITICAL’s network of over 300 volunteer responders active in 21 counties is continuing to grow. It includes Emergency Doctors in locations such as Cork, Kerry, Waterford, Donegal, Dublin and Wicklow; Community First Responder Groups; and off-duty paramedics, EMTs, and Advanced Paramedics. They have responded to more than 1,300 medical and trauma incidents since the start of this year.
