The public are invited to join the Manx Care Resus Team, St John Ambulance and Isle of Man Ambulance Service for their annual Restart A Heart event.
The Restart A Heart team will be at the Strand Shopping Centre in Douglas between 10am and 4pm on 17 October, performing Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) demonstrations, answering any questions that the public may have, and giving people the opportunity to have a go themselves (with and without defibrillators).
A brand-new addition to this year’s campaign is Leo Lionheart, a specially branded plush lion designed to help introduce CPR to children and families. Available throughout the event (while stocks last), the cuddly lions aim to make life-saving education fun, memorable and less intimidating, helping younger audiences engage with CPR through play, learning and meaningful family conversations.
Every Leo Lionheart represents courage and provides an opportunity to start a conversation about CPR, and potentially another future lifesaver. The QR code on the front of their t-shirts directs people to an online training platform with tools to continue learning about CPR. By taking Leo Lionheart home, children and families can keep the conversation going long after the event, helping to raise awareness of life-saving skills in homes and communities across the Island.
The initiative is led by Resuscitation Council UK, who gather an alliance of partners to raise awareness of cardiac arrests and to help people learn CPR. When someone suffers a cardiac arrest, every second matters. CPR and early defibrillation can dramatically improve a person’s chances of survival, yet many people are understandably frightened about stepping forward and helping.
Laura Stewart, Manx Care’s Resuscitation Co-Ordinator, commented:
‘Losing my younger brother, aged 32, to a sudden cardiac arrest has made this campaign incredibly personal for me. You never imagine that something like this could happen to someone you love. A cardiac arrest doesn’t discriminate, it can happen to anyone, any age, anywhere, at any time. That is why Restart A Heart means so much to me, if we can give someone the confidence to call for help, start CPR, to find a defibrillator in those first few crucial moments, we could potentially help save a life.
‘The hope is that a child who learns about CPR at Restart A Heart will remember those skills years from now, and perhaps one day be the person who knows exactly what to do when someone needs help.
The Restart A Heart teddy appeal idea came from last year’s feedback and has been supported through local sponsorship- a very big and special thank you goes to Financial Options and MAC Group!’
For further information please contact us at resus@gov.im.
