Cardiac arrest survivor wants more people to learn how to use a defibrillator after it saved his life
In the West Midlands, there are around 3,600 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests ever year
A man from Tamworth who suffered a cardiac arrest wants more people to learn how to use a defibrillator after it saved his life.
In 2017, Benjamin Culff ,who was 17 at the time, suffered a cardiac arrest, during work at a local restaurant.
He was found unconscious by his colleagues, by which time it became very clear that he had endured a cardiac arrest.
Thankfully, his colleague was able to start performing CPR, although he had not had any formal CPR training, and a defibrillator was brought over from the restaurant reception.
Together, following the instructions of the defibrillator machine, Benjamin’s colleagues administered two shocks to his body, and luckily the second shock brought him back to life just as the paramedics were arriving.
Ben was taken to the Royal Stoke Hospital, and given an implantable defibrillator known as an ICD. The matchbox-sized device was implanted into his chest to monitor for irregular heartbeats.
Benjamin has since been diagnosed with a rare genetic condition, which can trigger abnormal heart rhythms.
He is now working with Resuscitation Council UK to teach more people how to use the device - as early defibrillation within 3-5 minutes significantly increases the chances of survival.
61% of people say they aren’t confident enough to use a defibrillator, but the charity is looking to change that through the creation of Defib Dani, a new 80 second cartoon animation, that aims to give people the confidence to use this life saving device during a cardiac arrest.
Set in a supermarket scenario, Defib Dani calmly guides lifesavers through the simple steps of using a defib, emphasising that no prior training is needed, a fact that 40% of people were unaware of.
Defib Dani caters to all age groups, from children to adults. The animation highlights the importance of quick action during a cardiac emergency and empowers everyone to be a potential lifesaver.