Do you have it in you to bike from Nairobi to Meru with MC Jesse?

“Although we all know, on some level, the risks associated with being overweight, knowing someone that passed away as a result of cardiac vascular disease (CVD) and realising that it was probably preventable, really made the penny drop for me.”

MC Jesse is turning his personal experience into a calling to spearhead this conversation and inspire others to join the journey and hopefully in turn save lives.

The Philips Back to Rhythm campaign is intended to educate the public on cardiac health especially the SCA -  how to recognize the symptoms, and how to try and save the lives of others in the unfortunate event of a SCA to empowering Kenyans to live longer, healthier, and more productive lives.  

“We understand that healthcare doesn’t start at the point where diseases are treated, but rather starts in the home – in the kitchen, and in opting to take the stairs, rather than the lift – and we believe that combining an understanding of local needs, with the right partnerships, will see this youthful nation reap the rewards of a healthier population,” says Jasper Westerink, CEO, Philips Africa.

While social and governmental steps are being made to reduce some of the factors causing heart disease, the reality is that the average Kenyan is at risk of contracting heart disease. Philips’ Back to Rhythm campaign is intended to educate the public on cardiac health especially the SCA; how to recognise the symptoms, and how to save the lives of others in the unfortunate event of a SCA.

Phase II (two) of the campaign will again take the form of multiple stakeholder engagements to educate the public on CPR and AED resuscitation, and biking challenges that can result in the donation of Philips HeartStart automated external defibrillators (AEDs) to the Kenya Red Cross for use in public spaces in Kenya.

Tour de Meru

On Thursday, 5 April 2018, a big-hearted group called Friends of Meru will cycle from Nairobi to Meru - a total distance of 271.49km’s - with celebrity host, and Meru native, MC Jesse leading the peloton/ pack.

MC Jesse is spearheading the bike ride, and has committed to cycle the entire route from Nairobi to Meru; in return Philips will donate one AED to the Meru Red Cross on him completing the trip.

MC Jesse’s passion to empower his community, has inspired the Kenya Red Cross Team and Philips staff to join the challenge. The challenge is also open to public registration (https://bit.ly/2DX7eNk), and the Friends of Meru will kick-off the challenge from the KICC COMESA Grounds in the morning of Thursday, 5 April 2018.

The cyclists are expected to make three (3) pit stops enroute to Meru - at Mwea, Embu and Chukka, where the Philips and Red Cross teams will jointly provide community education programs on CPR and AED resuscitation. The Friends of Meru invite the public to sign up for the two-day Tour de Meru challenge – either for the entire ride, or popping in at the pit stops.

Not only will participants have the opportunity to ride alongside MC Jesse, in support of his passion, but will receive training on SCA, CPR, AED resuscitation, as well as healthy eating and exercising.

10MinHeartChallenge to residents of Meru

To complement the Tour de Meru, the residents of Meru will also get the chance to participate in a #10MinHeartChallenge to secure three additional AED’s that will be donated to the Meru County Red Cross. The challenge is to pedal and achieve the required kilometers for Philips to provide up to a maximum of three (3) AED’s to the Meru County Red Cross.

The challenge will take place on Friday, 6 April 2018, at the Meru Polytechnic grounds, where residents of Meru are challenged to cycle 687km’s in 4 hours. The challenge will consist of three bikes – so each bike would need to complete 229km within 4 hours to claim one AED.

“While the need for ‘sick care’ will undoubtedly remain critical in the years ahead, I believe that a greater focus on the preventive aspects of care can assist in bringing down the amount of sick care required at local, regional and national levels,” says Westerink. “Driven by this belief, we are aiming to engage at least 1000 youth on the role of healthy eating and regular exercise to drive down future incidences of heart disease with the phase II (two) of the campaign.”

As part of this drive, the Red Cross and Philips teams will also demonstrate how to use the AEDs and perform CPR at the stationary bike challenge, to ensure they empower the community to save lives.

Cardiac Conversations

The Kenya Cardiac Society (KCS) indicate that NCDs account for 30% of the number of deaths in Kenya, 13.2% of these are cardiac diseases. This highlights the need for a far greater discussion around the state of cardiac health in Kenya.

Alongside the Tour de Meru challenge, KCS, HACK (Heart Attack Concern Kenya), Philips and other strategic stakeholders will come together to discuss long-term solutions to address the rising incidence of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) in Kenya; the changes required to improve cardiac health of citizens; and healthcare preparedness including positioning public access defibrillation.

But the serious conversation will not be limited to the closed group of influential stakeholders; following the completion of the Tour de Meru, comedian Daniel "Churchill" Ndambuki will put Kenya’s heartbeat under the spotlight on The Churchill Show. Churchill, MC Jesse, the Kenya Red Cross and Philips will explore healthy lifestyles and cardiac health in a real and relatable discussion for a special edition of the show that will be shot and broadcast from the Meru Polytechnic grounds on 6 April 2018.

Why ride for AEDS?

SCA occurs when the electrical system of the heart becomes chaotic, causing it to stop beating effectively. Lacking proper blood flow, the person becomes unresponsive and stops breathing normally. What many don’t know is that the CPR alone cannot help in the case of a SCA as it cannot restore a normal heart rhythm. A shock from a defibrillator is the most effective way to restore the heart’s normal pumping rhythm.

To read more about the first leg of the campaign, click here.