The Irish Heart Foundation is creating a nation of lifesavers.
We know everyone's pretty busy right now, but... learning CPR is one of the best gifts you could give yourself and those around you.
Thousands of people die every year from cardiac arrest in Ireland with approximately 70 per cent of those happening at home in front of a loved one.
Brigid Sinnott, Resuscitation Manager at the Irish Heart Foundation says 'if someone knows CPR, they can start performing compressions quickly, doubling or even tripling a person's chances of survival.'
'In 2018, 176 people survived a cardiac arrest because of the actions of somebody who knew CPR. If an extra 100,000 people learn CPR, we could potentially save an extra 60 lives a year on average.'
And you don't need to be a doctor or trained medic to know how to perform CPR, you can simply watch Manny Quinn's video message below (or at irishheart.ie) to understand what to do when faced with a cardiac emergency.
Remember the rule, push hard and fast
Colm Costigan (pictured with daughter Caoimhe), a consultant at Temple Street Children's Hospital, collapsed during a bike ride in Tipperary while with his daughter in 2018. Caoimhe immediately called 999 and although she too is a doctor, she's adamant that anyone can perform CPR on another, as she did for her dad, until emergency services arrived. It ultimately saved his life!
So, as part of the Irish Heart Foundation's new campaign, which is supported by the global healthcare company Abbott and ESB Networks, give you and yours the greatest gift, and learn how to save a life.
Find out more at irishheart.ieBrought to you by the Irish Heart Foundation
