Manx Care’s resuscitation co-ordinator has spoken of how losing her younger brother to a sudden cardiac arrest drives her work, ahead of this Saturday’s Restart A Heart event at the Strand Shopping Centre in Douglas.
Laura Stewart said her brother’s death, aged 32, had made the campaign “incredibly personal”, in comments published by Isle of Man Today. She added: “You never imagine that something like this could happen to someone you love.”
She said the aim was to give people “the confidence to call for help, start CPR, to find a defibrillator” in the first crucial moments. She hoped a child who picked up the basics at the event might still recall them as an adult and be ready to step in when it mattered.
The Manx Care Resus Team, St John Ambulance and the Isle of Man Ambulance Service will be at the centre from 10:00 to 16:00 on 17 October for the annual event. They will give demonstrations, answer questions and let visitors try CPR with and without a defibrillator.
Restart A Heart is led by Resuscitation Council UK, which brings together partners to raise awareness of cardiac arrest and encourage people to learn CPR.
New this year, children can collect a Leo Lionheart plush lion while stocks last. A QR code on its t-shirt links to online CPR training. A Manx Care spokesperson said each lion offered a chance to start a conversation about CPR.
The teddy appeal is sponsored by Financial Options and MAC Group.
