A southwestern Ontario mother is continuing to push for hockey associations and arenas to train staff on how to properly stop bleeds after her son suffered a near-fatal injury on the ice.
It was during the third period of a U15 hockey game in Elgin County last March that Jennifer Thorpe's 14-year-old son Tyler passed a fallen player whose skate ended up slicing his wrist. The incident severed an artery and tendon and was bleeding profusely.
Fortunately, the opposing team's trainer was an emergency room physician who immediately recognized the severity of the injury and stepped in to control the bleeding until Tyler could be taken to hospital.
“I just knew something was wrong,” Thorpe said. “The look on the coaches' faces was pure fear. What if the doctor hadn’t been there?”
Bleeds, such as the one Tyler suffered, can become fatal within four to five minutes if not controlled, according to officials at London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC). That is the reason why the hospital's trauma program offers free "stop the bleed" training, a program dedicated to teaching the public how to manage severe bleeding before paramedics arrive.
Since the incident, Tyler's coaches and trainers on the Elgin Middlesex Canucks hockey team have completed the training and Thorpe is advocating for other sports organizations to follow that lead.
"I never thought this would happen to my son," said Thorpe. "My hope is that by sharing our story, more organizations take the initiative to become trained in bleeding control in order to prevent a potential tragedy."
She would also like to see arenas equipped with tourniquets similar to the way they are required to have automated external defibrillators (AEDs), on hand for sudden cardiac incidents.
Sports groups, organizations, and businesses interested in taking the training can find booking details on the London Health Sciences Centre's website. The under 90-minute training program is offered across the region and includes a formal presentation followed by hands-on practice. Attendees learn the basics of controlling life-threatening bleeding through tourniquet application, direct pressure, and wound packing.
"Hockey teams are a key group we’d love to train more of, as skate blades can cause life-threatening injuries,” said Rai Di Loreto, an injury prevention specialist with the LHSC's trauma program. “This training equips coaches, trainers, and even parents with the skills to stop life-threatening bleeding until emergency help arrives.”
Since the incident, Tyler has undergone two surgeries at LHSC's Children's Hospital and is said to be recovering well. He was able to cheer on his teammates during the playoffs from the bench.
