Team Jamaica Bickle to donate 26 AEDs to local institutions

US-based charity Team Jamaica Bickle (TJB) is to present 26 automated external defibrillators (AEDs) to high schools and sports institutions across Jamaica. The handover ceremony is scheduled for 9am on Thursday, September 18 at the G.C Foster College of Physical Education & Sport. The presentation ceremony will be followed by a sensitisation workshop on the proper use of the AED and CPR training sessions. Additionally, financial awards will be presented to schools that were successful in Championships of America races at the recent Penn Relays.

Now in its 11th year, the Defibrillators in Schools Project was launched in 2014 in loving memory of Cavaughn McKenzie, the St. Jago High School athlete who passed away during competition in Trinidad & Tobago. Since then, over 140 AED units have been placed in schools and sporting facilities across the island, and hundreds of students, coaches, and officials have received critical life-saving training.

TJB notes in a media release that this year’s programme is made possible through the generous sponsorship of the Second Round Foundation, led by Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks, along with the steadfast support of partners in the Jamaican diaspora and local community. Guest speaker will be N. Christian Stokes, chairman of the Bobsleigh & Skeletal Federation.

“As the pre-eminent organisation in sports philanthropy serving Jamaican and Caribbean athletes – most notably at the annual Penn Relays – TJB’s mission extends far beyond the track,” said Karen Wilson Robinson – vice chairman TJB. “This initiative underscores our holistic approach to athlete welfare, ensuring our ambassadors are supported in every aspect of their journey.”

With 31 years of unbroken service, TJB remains dedicated to the health, safety, and development of athletes, building a legacy of care that inspires communities at home and abroad.