Thousands of tamariki are set to learn how to help save a life on Restart a Heart Day (16 October) a global initiative aimed at raising awareness of cardiac arrest and the importance of knowing how to perform CPR.
As part of Hato Hone St John’s month-long Shocktober campaign, 17,617 school students from across the motu will take part in the Save Your Teddy initiative on Restart a Heart Day, which involves children practicing CPR on their favourite teddy bear or soft toy.
Shocktober, supported by major sponsor MAS (Medical Assurance Society), is one of Hato Hone St John’s key public education campaigns, and through the theme, Learn for your loved one the organisation is encouraging New Zealanders to gain confidence in CPR and AED (automated external defibrillator) use through its 3 Steps for Life programme and school-based activities.
The 3 Steps for Life programme is a free, one-hour awareness session that teaches New Zealanders three simple but critical actions to take when someone experiences cardiac arrest:
- Call 111 and ask for an ambulance.
- Start CPR until help arrives.
- Use an AED (defibrillator) if one is available.
Through Shocktober, Hato Hone St John set out to engage more than 15,000 people nationwide, equipping schools and communities with the knowledge and confidence to respond in a cardiac emergency – a target that has already been exceeded by the Save Your Teddy numbers alone.
Hato Hone St John National Manager – Community Education, Jacci Tatnell, says the Save Your Teddy activity is an engaging way to introduce young people to life-saving skills early.
“It’s about giving our tamariki the confidence to act in an emergency,” says Ms Tatnell.
“We encourage parents and caregivers to talk to their children about what they’ve learned. By sharing these lessons at home, families can build awareness together — and that knowledge could one day save a life.”
Ms Tatnell says Shocktober and Restart a Heart Day are about preparation and empowerment.
“Emergencies can happen anytime, anywhere. Being prepared and knowing what to do — regardless of your age — can make a real difference to someone’s chances of survival. This month, we’re encouraging everyone to ‘learn for your loved one’.”
Research shows that cardiac arrest outcomes significantly improve when a patient receives immediate CPR and defibrillation within the first five minutes. With 72 percent of cardiac arrests occurring at home and a further 15 percent in public spaces such as workplaces, streets, and shopping centres, bystander action is critical.
When CPR and defibrillation are performed before emergency services arrive, a patient’s chance of survival more than doubles.
In the past year, ambulance services in Aotearoa treated 2,547 people for cardiac arrest — a 3.6 percent increase on the previous year. Of these, 24 percent survived to hospital arrival, but only 11 percent survived beyond 30 days.
Māori and Pacific peoples continue to be disproportionately affected, experiencing cardiac arrest at younger ages, while women remain half as likely as men to receive defibrillation from a bystander.
Schools wishing to take part in Save Your Teddy on Restart a Heart Day can register at: www.saveyourteddy.stjohn.org.nz
ENDS
For futher information
Hato Hone St John media team
PH: 0800 756 334
E: media@stjohn.org.nz