Update
Anna called the ICU this morning to talk to Clare's parents and wondered what happend that Clare's mom lost her voice. Turns out she was talking to Clare! They took her breathing tubes out, she's breathing on her own, and awake. She doesn't really remember what happened but she's awake! And in good spirits according to Anna! This is a copy of the e-mail the University's chancellor sent to the entire student body and staff:
Dear students and colleagues:
I know I send messages to you about a wide range of topics, but my note today is truly extraordinary because it involves a life and death situation that, thankfully, has turned out well.
On Wednesday night UW-L student Clare Malinowski collapsed during a break in a kick-boxing class being held in our Recreational Eagle Center (REC). It turned out that Clare was experiencing cardiac arrest and thanks to some very quick thinking and acting on the part of UW-L students and REC staff she was revived and is now recovering at Franciscan Skemp Hospital.
According to people who were in the REC on Wednesday night, when it became apparent that Clare was not breathing and her heart had stopped two of her classmates, Kayla Stonehouse and Christiane Bernad, began performing CPR (cardio pulmonary resuscitation), while others went to get help from the REC staff. One of the REC staff members, Andrea Harrill, then came to the scene and used an AED (automated external defibrillator) to restore Clare’s heartbeat prior to the arrival of an ambulance. These are truly heroic actions, because if you’ve ever had CPR and/or AED training then you know it is one thing to perform these techniques in a simulated situation, but something else altogether to utilize them successfully when an actual person--in particular, a classmate and friend--suddenly experiences a heart attack.
In addition to Kayla, Christiane and Andrea, the following members of the UW-L community have assisted in essential ways throughout this critical situation:
Brian Allen
Vanessa Bauer
Andrea Freymiller
Natalie Hoel
Megan Lee
Jonathan (Ric) Maurer
Andrew Oebser
Marge Troka
Please join me in thanking Kayla, Christiane, Andrea, and all of the individuals on this list for making sure a wonderful student like Clare will have the opportunity to recover from her medical crisis and rejoin us here at UW-L very soon!
The extraordinary actions of the people listed above remind us what outstanding students, staff and faculty we have in our Recreational Sports Department, Athletic Training Program, Counseling Center and University Police here at UW-L. We’re also very fortunate to have excellent professionals like Sue White and Mo McAlpine leading the REC, and Assistant Chancellor and Dean of Students Paula Knudson leading our Student Affairs Division.
Yesterday and today I visited with the Malinowski family at the intensive care unit where Clare is recovering, and they wanted to be sure everyone here at UW-L knows how grateful they are for the amazing actions of those who saved Clare’s life, as well as the very helpful assistance they’re receiving from our Student Affairs Office during a time of crisis.
Although Clare is now conscious and speaking to visitors, she still has much recovering to do. So I hope you’ll join me in pulling for her to make a full, smooth and speedy recovery. I know she is very passionate about music, and it will be wonderful to see her back on stage very soon performing again with our Concert Choir!
Best wishes,
Joe
Joe Gow, Chancellor
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
Dear students and colleagues:
I know I send messages to you about a wide range of topics, but my note today is truly extraordinary because it involves a life and death situation that, thankfully, has turned out well.
On Wednesday night UW-L student Clare Malinowski collapsed during a break in a kick-boxing class being held in our Recreational Eagle Center (REC). It turned out that Clare was experiencing cardiac arrest and thanks to some very quick thinking and acting on the part of UW-L students and REC staff she was revived and is now recovering at Franciscan Skemp Hospital.
According to people who were in the REC on Wednesday night, when it became apparent that Clare was not breathing and her heart had stopped two of her classmates, Kayla Stonehouse and Christiane Bernad, began performing CPR (cardio pulmonary resuscitation), while others went to get help from the REC staff. One of the REC staff members, Andrea Harrill, then came to the scene and used an AED (automated external defibrillator) to restore Clare’s heartbeat prior to the arrival of an ambulance. These are truly heroic actions, because if you’ve ever had CPR and/or AED training then you know it is one thing to perform these techniques in a simulated situation, but something else altogether to utilize them successfully when an actual person--in particular, a classmate and friend--suddenly experiences a heart attack.
In addition to Kayla, Christiane and Andrea, the following members of the UW-L community have assisted in essential ways throughout this critical situation:
Brian Allen
Vanessa Bauer
Andrea Freymiller
Natalie Hoel
Megan Lee
Jonathan (Ric) Maurer
Andrew Oebser
Marge Troka
Please join me in thanking Kayla, Christiane, Andrea, and all of the individuals on this list for making sure a wonderful student like Clare will have the opportunity to recover from her medical crisis and rejoin us here at UW-L very soon!
The extraordinary actions of the people listed above remind us what outstanding students, staff and faculty we have in our Recreational Sports Department, Athletic Training Program, Counseling Center and University Police here at UW-L. We’re also very fortunate to have excellent professionals like Sue White and Mo McAlpine leading the REC, and Assistant Chancellor and Dean of Students Paula Knudson leading our Student Affairs Division.
Yesterday and today I visited with the Malinowski family at the intensive care unit where Clare is recovering, and they wanted to be sure everyone here at UW-L knows how grateful they are for the amazing actions of those who saved Clare’s life, as well as the very helpful assistance they’re receiving from our Student Affairs Office during a time of crisis.
Although Clare is now conscious and speaking to visitors, she still has much recovering to do. So I hope you’ll join me in pulling for her to make a full, smooth and speedy recovery. I know she is very passionate about music, and it will be wonderful to see her back on stage very soon performing again with our Concert Choir!
Best wishes,
Joe
Joe Gow, Chancellor
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse