Vinnie Jones and the British Heart Foundation team-up to encourage everyone in the UK to learn CPR

Former Wales footballer Vinnie Jones has reunited with the British Heart Foundation to call on everyone in the UK to learn CPR and help save lives, following the events that have shaken the footballing world this week.   

The football legend and actor has recorded a 40 second advert for the nation’s heart charity, which will air during Thursday’s pre-match coverage of Denmark vs Belgium on ITV (4:40pm).   

The ad reunites Vinnie with the British Heart Foundation (BHF), following his starring role in 2012’s “Hands-Only CPR” campaign, which the charity says has led to countless lives being saved.   

In the original ad, Vinnie urged people to “Call 999” and perform CPR by pushing “hard and fast to Stayin’ Alive” if they saw someone suffer a cardiac arrest.   

There are around 2,800 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in Wales each year, and every minute without CPR and defibrillation decreases a person’s chances of survival by up to 10 per cent.  

However, the BHF says that in countries where CPR is widely taught and public access defibrillators are more readily available, survival rates are up to three times as high.   

Vinnie Jones said: “Like millions of people around the world, I watched in horror as Christian Eriksen collapsed suddenly last week. But immediate CPR and defibrillation saved his life.   

“By teaming up with the British Heart Foundation once more, I hope we can inspire millions more people to take the time to learn these vital skills. My message is simple – learn CPR and turn yourself into a potential life saver. As Saturday showed, you never know when you might be called upon to help save a life.”  

Following the football events that shook the world last week, the BHF has seen more than a 2,000 per cent increase in people visiting its website to learn CPR and find out how to use a defibrillator. The charity’s website offers video tuition on these life-saving skills.  

Adam Fletcher Head of BHF Cymru said: “The shocking events of last week have touched so many people around the world. There is no doubt that CPR and the use of a defibrillator saved a life. But today the tragic reality is that less than one in ten people survive an out of hospital cardiac arrest and far too many people lack the confidence to perform life-saving CPR.  

“We’re delighted to join forces with Wales footballing legend Vinnie again to urge people to take just a few minutes, right now, to learn life saving CPR. The most important thing to remember is that you must act when someone suffers a cardiac arrest. Call 999, start CPR immediately, and ask someone to bring the nearest defibrillator if one is close by.   

“The sad truth is that you’re most likely to see a loved one suffer a cardiac arrest. But by creating a nation of lifesavers, with the confidence to perform CPR and use a defibrillator, we can save countless lives of loved ones.”  

The charity has campaigned for many years to create a ‘Nation of Lifesavers’, with the skills and confidence to perform CPR if someone suffers a cardiac arrest. Learning CPR is now a statutory part of the new Welsh curriculum. The charity continues to campaign to make sure that the new curriculum is implemented and that all children have the opportunity to learn CPR as a vital life saving skill. 

Leigh Manley (44) from Cardiff knows only too well the importance of CPR and defibrillation. After collapsing at the gym in August 2016 he was diagnosed with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) a rare disease of the heart muscle that can cause a sudden cardiac arrest.  

Since his diagnosis the father of three has been defibrillated three times after his heart went into an abnormally dangerous rhythm.  

Leigh said:  

“A cardiac arrest can happen to anyone at any time. I was really fit and healthy and was running on the treadmill in the gym when I first collapsed. Very soon after that I was diagnosed with ARVC which was a shocking diagnosis as there was no history of heart disease in my family.  

“Since then I have had to be defibrillated on three separate occasions because my heart went into abnormal rhythm so I know exactly what it feels like to be defibrillated and what a vital piece of equipment this is. I now have an ICD (implantable cardioverter defibrillator) fitted which regulates my heart when it goes into a dangerous rhythm.  

“Like so many people I watched what happened to Christian Eriksen on Saturday night and it has definitely brought it home to so many people how important it is to know how to do CPR and use a defibrillator. I would urge everyone to learn because a sudden cardiac arrest can happen to anyone.” 

To learn CPR visit: www.bhf.org.uk/cpr