Heart charity shoots for more life-savers inside football stadiums

Thursday, 03 May 2012

The British Heart Foundation (BHF) is teaming up with the Premier League and Sky Sports to help fill football stadiums with more life-savers, capable of helping someone who has had a cardiac arrest.

Following Bolton Wanderers midfielder Fabrice Muamba’s collapse, the nation’s heart charity is launching a new appeal on Friday (May 4), supported by the Premier League and its clubs, asking for help to train more people in emergency life support skills, including CPR.

It costs the charity around £5 to train someone with the skills to save a life.

The Life-saver appeal will be launched at the 10 stadiums hosting this weekend’s Barclays Premier League matches, including Bolton Wanderers’ Reebok Stadium. The BHF is urging fans of the beautiful game to text ‘CPR’ to 70030 and donate £5 to create another life-saver.

Louise Parkes, Director of Fundraising at the British Heart Foundation, said: “The collapse of Fabrice Muamba has shown just how important it is for more people to know how to use CPR to help someone who’s had a cardiac arrest.

“We want every seat in every stadium across the UK to be filled by someone who knows how to help in a medical emergency. That vision could become a reality because it costs just £5 to equip someone with the skills to save a life.

“The best result we can hope for this weekend is scores of generous donations which will help us to continue our life-saving work.”

The BHF teaches simple skills that save lives, including assessing an unconscious patient, performing CPR, dealing with choking and serious bleeding, and helping some that may be having a heart attack.

The Life-saver appeal will be promoted in match day programmes, on advertising boards and on a giant on-pitch flag before each match. The appeal will also be promoted in the British Heart Foundation’s 700 shops across the UK.

Fans can learn more about the appeal at bhf.org.uk.