A devoted Cambridge United fan who received life-saving treatment at a Matchday at the Cledara Abbey Stadium has today applauded a month-long initiative aimed at teaching the public CPR – officially called cardiopulmonary resuscitation...
David Ince, 67, spoke out as organisations across Cambridgeshire come together to teach skills to the public as part of a campaign called ‘Restart a Heart’ that runs throughout this month.
The Club's upcoming home game against Wigan will be used to raise awareness of the campaign, and a pre-match walk in honour of Robert Osbourn is taking place, with proceeds going to the British Heart Foundation.
David - a season ticket holder for 50 years - suffered a cardiac arrest during a game between Cambridge United and Rotherham on Tuesday 1 Oct, watched by over 5,000 people.
Play was stopped while quick-thinking Steward Supervisor and Addenbrooke’s hospital porter, Paul Harrison (pictured below), administered CPR, quickly followed by an East Anglian Air Ambulance (EAAA) crew armed with a defibrillator.
David was whisked by land ambulance to Addenbrooke’s where he is undergoing care combined with specialist treatment at neighbouring Royal Papworth. He was delighted to get the chance to thank porter Paul in person, and touched by a visit from United’s first team chaplain, Stuart Wood.
It was the second time David has received CPR, since seven years ago he had a heart attack at Haverhill Football Club, resulting in another air EAAA crew being scrambled and landing on the pitch. The match was cancelled and he was flown into A&E.
David, a semi-retired sales assistant, said: “I owe my life to CPR and those incredible people who are trained to deliver it in such a fast, calm, and professional way. I think the Restart a Heart campaign is an amazing initiative and greatly increases the chances of survival.”
David - who has since learned CPR himself - is lucky. More than 30,000 people have a cardiac arrest each year, with less than 10 per cent surviving.
Leading Restart a Heart are Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Magpas Air Ambulance, the East of England Ambulance Service Trust (EEAST), Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, East Anglian Air Ambulance (EAAA) and Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service.
The sessions focus on chest compressions, use of automated external defibrillators (AEDs), the management of choking, and the use of a technique called “the lateral position”.
Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) resuscitation officer, Sian Leader (pictured below), said: “Survival rates from out of hospital cardiac arrests are currently less than 10 per cent. Knowing what to do in the event of cardiac arrest is vital and it could help you save a life.
“With 80 per cent of cardiac arrests happening in the home, it could be a loved one you save.”
Sara Almeida, resuscitation officer at Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Every day we work with our land and air ambulance colleagues to care for patients who have had out-of-hospital cardiac arrests.
“Knowing and being confident with CPR allows you to begin the chain of survival, increasing someone’s chances of making it to hospital for treatment for the care they need.”
Jonathan Needle, community response manager at the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust, said: “We are very pleased to be involved in this partnership. We hope to continue to build this to train more and more people life-saving skills and give them the confidence to make a difference.”
Nicola Cooper, Magpas air ambulance community training and engagement officer added: "I'm proud to be a part of this initiative, working with our East of England partners to train as many people as possible.
"Our training is easy to follow and remember and focuses on building people’s confidence so they have faith in themselves to use these valuable skills if they ever need to.
"At Magpas Air Ambulance we say ‘with you, we save lives’, and that couldn’t be any more fitting than this."
The sessions will be at:
- 5:30pm, Wednesday, 9 October, Cambridge Fire Station
- 1pm, Thursday, 10 October, The Deakin Centre, next to car park one, Addenbrooke’s Hospital
- 1pm Tuesday, 15 October, The Deakin Centre, next to car park one, Addenbrooke’s Hospital
- 8am to 7pm Wednesday, 16 October, The Grand Arcade, Cambridge
- 2:30pm and 5:30pm Thursday, 24 October, Cambridge Rugby Club
- 10am Tuesday, 29 October, The Deakin Centre, next to car park one, Addenbrooke’s Hospital
- 2:30pm and 5.30pm, Friday, 1 November, Northstowe Interim Community Centre (The Cabin)
Training will focus on the adult patient with the option of staying behind if additional insight into paediatrics is required. It does not constitute mandatory training, so is not appropriate for those requiring certification for professional needs.
To book a free session on follow this Eventbrite. For more information, visit The Resuscitation Council’s Restart a Heart Day pages