On Wednesday 16 October, more than 170 Year 7 students took part in Restart a Heart Day learning how to perform CPR and potentially save a life.
Restart a Heart Day was developed in 2013 by the European Resuscitation Council to encourage others to teach members of the public how to help restart the heart of someone who has suffered a cardiac arrest. The following year, Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust offered all secondary schools in Yorkshire the opportunity to receive free CPR training for pupils on Restart a Heart Day and in this, the eleventh year, an incredible 35,000 young people received CPR training.
We’d like to say a huge thank you to Nigel and his team of volunteers from the Yorkshire Ambulance Service who gave up their time to teach our students how to become #CPRConfident and save a life.
CPR saves lives
Mr Rattue, one of our cleaning colleagues here at Millthorpe, suffered a cardiac arrest two years ago and has kindly shared his story with us.
On 1 June 2022, whilst out walking his dog, Mr Rattue collapsed near the crossing by the Cross Keys Pub on Tadcaster Road. Falling backwards, he split his head open, which ultimately led to 15 staples to seal the wound. Two builders who were passing stopped to help him. Fortunately, the traffic lights were at red, and a nurse, who was waiting at the lights on her way to work at St Leonard’s Hospice, saw what had happened and rushed over to help.
The builders thought Mr Rattue had simply knocked himself out as a result of the head injury, however the paleness of his skin, and the blue tinge to his lips was enough for the nurse, Charlie, to recognise the signs of cardiac arrest. She immediately started doing CPR whilst one of the builders phoned for the ambulance.
Mr Rattue received 21 minutes of CPR, both by Charlie and the paramedics. Twice his wife was informed to prepare for the worst as the medical staff didn’t think he would make it. Thankfully, he did and a contributing factor was that CPR was performed on him straight away. According to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (January 2024), fewer than 1 in 10 people survive a cardiac arrest outside of hospital, however receiving CPR immediately can increase survival rates by up to 40%.
Mr Rattue spent nearly a month in hospital following his cardiac arrest. Whilst having CPR, he sustained eight broken ribs. As a consequence of this, the operation to fit a valve to his heart was delayed. He is very quick to say that he didn’t mind the ribs being broken as CPR ultimately saved his life!
Thank you to Mr Rattue for sharing his story with us.
17 October 2024
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