September 10, 2012

Fabrice Muamba helps us reach our goal

Footballer Fabrice Muamba joined us on a trip to Downing Street to deliver a very important petition through that famous front door.

Earlier this year, alongside Resuscitation Council UK (RCUK), we launched a campaign calling for life-saving skills to be taught in all schools across the UK. Spurred on by fantastic backing from The Sun, over 100,000 of you signed our petition to ensure children leave school knowing how to save a life.

Fabrice has firsthand experience of why this petition could be a life-saver. After collapsing unexpectedly during a football match and receiving vital CPR, he realised the importance of knowing what to do in an emergency situation.

Fabrice went along with our Medical Director, Professor Peter Weissberg, and Dr Andrew Lockey from RCUK in the hope that we can turn these signatures into a new lesson on the timetable of UK schoolchildren.

The most important lesson you’ll ever learn

Another person who knows how important life-saving skills can be is Christopher Boylan. Last year, 17-year-old Christopher performed CPR on his mum when she had a cardiac arrest. Luckily, quick-thinking Christopher had learnt what to do at an after-school club. But surely this vital lesson should be taught before the school bell rings?

Now our petition is in the hands of the people who can really make a difference. It’s just been announced that, with the recent cabinet reshuffle, we have a new Minister of State for Schools. We are calling on Elizabeth Trussto take our campaign forward and make sure that every child leaving school in England is going out there equipped with the skills to save a life.

Together with RCUK and The Sun, we are shouting loud about life-saving skills, and we hope the key decision-makers will listen.  But we still need your help. It’s crucial that we keep pushing and you can help us build a nation of life-savers.