By Meg Peters
Review Co-Editor
Lake Orion resident Marianne Donoghue said performing the’Heimlich maneuver’wasn’t as hard as it looks.
‘It’s just what had to be done, so it was pretty fast,? the mother of two said. She was proctoring a summer science day camp program at Oakland University when the incident occurred.
It was her first time performing the Heimlich, or what is now called abdominal thrusts, to a choking boy whose carrot-chewing led to his choking.
A teaching assistant brought the boy to Donoghue after he began wheezing during lunch on August 6.
‘He was really struggling to breathe, clearly turning red,? she said, and instinctively began performing the maneuver.
The boy threw up a bit of chewed carrots, and was breathing by the time the Oakland University police and an ambulance arrived. He made a full recovery after being transported to Crittenton Hospital.
‘The efforts made by Marianne Donoghue on August 6 were directly responsible for saving a life,? said Oakland University Police Department (OUPD) Chief Mark B. Gordon.
For her quick reactions, Donoghue was awarded the Lifesaving Award on behalf of the OUPD and the university, which she accepted August 25.
Donoghue is’the special programs coordinator for the School of Engineering Computer Science summer day camp, and works throughout the year with children participating in engineering projects.
?’Everyone should probably just take the official class, so that way it’s kind of instinctive. You don’t have time to be nervous, you just know what you have to do.?
Donoghue is the mother of two Lake Orion students, a daughter headed to Oakview Middle School for sixth grade this year, and her son who is going into fourth grade at Orion Oaks Elementary. ?
Anyone interested in signing up for a First Aid/CPR/AED training class, visit the American Red Cross website at’www.redcross.org/take-a-class/program-highlights/cpr-first-aid’and select a location.