Wakefield women who saved her partners life says everyone should know CPR
More than 3,000 people in Yorkshire have been treated for cardiac arrest in one year
A Wakefield women, who saved her partners life, when he collapsed at home, says everyone should be taught CPR, starting with schools.
Jo's partner, Nigel, came home from work one night feeling 'perfectly fine'. The couple saw each other around 10pm, before Nigel went for a bowl of cereal and Jo went to bed.
"I couldn't believe it, he's a marathon runner, he's the fittest person anyone knows."
Jo woke up to a 'heavy weight' on her leg, which was painful, because she'd recently had an operation.
When she looked, she realised Nigel wasn't breathing, she pushed him off her leg, so she could start CPR.
She said:
"I couldn't believe it, he's a marathon runner, he's the fittest person anyone knows.
"Within 11 minutes paramedics turned up and took over, so I did 11 minutes of chest compressions.
"He was unresponsive for 40 minutes, that was the longest 40 minutes of my life."
86.7% of cardiac arrests in 2020 happened to people when they were at home.
Jo had done yearly CPR training at work.
"I used to dread it (training), but I'll never ever dread another one."
She tells us she used to come away thinking 'what have I really learnt' doing the role play tasks at the training, but says it's obvious now that you learn a lot from it.
"I can't thank them enough, I used to dread it, but I'll never ever dread another one, and I say to everyone if you can, get some training.
"When it happened, Racheal, Nigel's daughter, said she just wouldn't have a clue what she would have done, she's never any kind of training.
"I think it should start off in schools."
Jo has been raising money by giving out pillow partners to people.
"It goes on a pillow off your bed, it's got a chest on it and it shows you where to press, and there's 4 little steps at the bottom.
"Step 1 call 999.
"Step 2 open the airway.
"Step 3 pump the chest.
"Step 4 mouth to mouth."