Cardiac Association encourages support for World Restart a Heart Day

The Gibraltar Cardiac Association is encouraging people to wear their favourite football shirts this Friday, October 16, to raise awareness of the importance of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and defibrillators as part of World Restart a Heart Day.

The association is inviting people to take part at home, at work or at school and upload pictures of their participation to its Facebook page.

High-profile incidents on the football pitch, including the cardiac arrest suffered by Danish footballer Christian Eriksen, serve as a reminder that sudden cardiac arrest can affect anyone, anywhere. His survival also demonstrated the life-saving importance of prompt intervention, CPR and access to a defibrillator.

The campaign aims to highlight the importance of knowing what to do when someone suddenly collapses, becomes unresponsive and is not breathing normally.

The association highlights three simple steps to follow in such situations.

CALL – Call for emergency help.

PUSH – Start CPR.

SHOCK – Use an automated external defibrillator (AED), if available.

These actions can save lives and give the person the best possible chance of survival, the association said.

It also reminded the public that when an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest occurs, every second counts. The first few minutes are crucial, and immediate action can make the difference between life and death.

The association said: “Through this campaign, we hope to encourage more people to learn CPR and become confident in using a defibrillator when it matters most.”

It concluded: “Remember: Anyone can learn CPR. Anyone can use a defibrillator. Anyone can save a life.”