Survival and support
American football star hails power of game-changing CPR at NFL London Games
American football star Damar Hamlin, who had a cardiac arrest on the football field in January, will join the Buffalo Bills when they play the Jacksonville Jaguars in London this week as part of the NFL’s London Games.
We and the American Heart Association are joining forces with Damar and his Chasing M’s Foundation, as well as the NFL, to teach fans of American football the lifesaving skill of CPR.
There has been a CPR training session, and a chance for fans and their families to learn CPR at home using our innovative online training tool, RevivR.
Young fans invited from the NFL Foundation UK took part in CPR training at the NFL Experience at London’s Battersea Power Station on October 7. In addition, the Chasing M’s Foundation plans to give away automated external defibrillators (AEDs) to targeted youth organisations in the U.K.
“Today, we’re making a first stop in taking my CPR tour international, and it’s an honour for me to join with the NFL, American Heart Association and British Heart Foundation to help save lives,” said Hamlin, who kicked off his Chasing M’s CPR Tour this summer and plans to expand it globally in 2024.
“After experiencing cardiac arrest in January, my family and I were humbled by the generosity and prayers from people here in the U.K. and around the world who wished me well. We are thrilled by the opportunity to give back and lift up others.
"Given my journey, my message today is simple: no one expects cardiac arrest to happen. By learning CPR, you can be ready to help save a life, should someone need you.”
CPR saves lives
When a person has a cardiac arrest, survival depends on immediately receiving CPR and defibrillation from someone nearby. Immediate CPR and defibrillation can more than double the chances of survival.
If you are called on to give CPR in an emergency, you will most likely be trying to save the life of someone you know or love as around 80 per cent of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in the UK happen at home.
Dr Charmaine Griffiths, our Chief Executive, said: “It is always a pleasure to team up with the American Heart Association to raise awareness of the lifesaving power of CPR at such a brilliant sporting event. CPR is a universal language and can be the difference between life and death in the ultimate medical emergency.
"Damar Hamlin’s recovery and return to the NFL has been inspirational to people around the world, and is a powerful reminder to each of us to learn CPR.”
Nancy Brown, Chief Executive Officer of the American Heart Association, said: “Earlier this year, the world witnessed Damar Hamlin’s traumatic cardiac arrest on live television during Monday Night Football, but what they also saw were those very first links in the chain of survival working – early recognition, calling first responders, beginning high quality CPR, and having access to and using an AED.
"No matter where you live, the chain of survival is critical. Thanks to the international reach of the NFL, the inspiration of Damar, the science of the American Heart Association and our allyship with our colleagues at the British Heart Foundation, we have an unprecedented opportunity to save lives. This is our moment.”
Learn CPR with RevivR
"With incredible support from his parents, Mario and Nina, Damar Hamlin has turned his own unexpected life event into a mission to help save lives,” said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.
“His Chasing M’s Foundation, along with the American Heart Association and the British Heart Foundation, will share the critical importance of CPR education with fans in London during this week’s Buffalo Bills-Jacksonville Jaguars game. This will no doubt help to save future lives and continue the important work of Damar and his family.”
In 2022, we launched RevivR, an innovative 15-minute digital training tool that teaches you how to recognise a cardiac arrest, gives feedback on chest compressions and outlines the correct steps of using a defibrillator, giving anyone the confidence to save a life in the ultimate medical emergency.
RevivR is free, easy to use and all you need is a phone and a cushion. Over 250,000 people have used RevivR to learn CPR since its launch.
The American Heart Association recently launched its Nation of Lifesavers initiative with Hamlin as National Ambassador.
The new multi-year initiative will ensure teens and adults can learn about CPR and AED use, share that knowledge with friends and family, and engage employers, policymakers, philanthropists and others to create support for a nation of lifesavers.
The long-term goal: to ensure that in the face of a cardiac emergency, everyone, everywhere is prepared and empowered to perform CPR and become a vital link in the chain of survival.
Both organisations' websites saw huge spikes in interest for CPR training and education after Damar’s cardiac arrest, showing how NFL fans reacted by seeking out the skills to save a life.