Rising demand to learn CPR

The televised cardiac arrest of Christian Eriksen on the pitch in a Euro 2020 match left many wondering how they could help save a life.

The midfielder, 29, collapsed during Denmark’s opening Euro 2020 clash with Finland, with his team-mates circling around him as he was given CPR and a shock from a defibrillator on the pitch.

People around the northeast have been keen to brush up on their own lifesaving skills – prompting first aid trainer Cheryl Jones to organise a free, family-friendly session.

Miss Jones, from Cruden Bay, owns AB Medical, which provides first aid training for workplaces, sports groups or those who work with children.

She revealed she has been inundated with queries since Eriksen’s scare.

Miss Jones, who also runs Dinky Doctors where she teaches young children life-saving skills in a fun and safe way, will host the session at Watson Park, Cruden Bay, on July 12.

She said: “The idea of doing these open sessions is to show that it is that simple and you’ll not be worried about it if it ever happens and you do need to use the machine.

“It’s a good chance to dispel myths and things that you see on TV which maybe aren’t correct, and just get people talking about the subject so there is no fear in trying to help someone.

“It’s even harder, because Covid has made people more scared about touching a person or resuscitating someone, so again we can go over safety elements they can take so that they can still try and do some good while keeping themselves safe.”

The local Coastguard will help by providing mannequins, which will be spread out to allow people to take part. The session is open to parents, guardians and children.

“There’s nothing like a footballer being brought back to life live on TV to get a conversation going but it’s a stark reminder that a young, fit, healthy person can collapse and stop breathing,” she added.

“Until you actually see how simple it is, it’s still nerve-wracking for people who have never had any experience with it.”

BACK TO LIFE: Christian Eriksen’s heart stopped beating.