Graeme Souness calls on footie fans to learn ‘game changing’ CPR with the British Heart Foundation.

Football legend Graeme Souness is calling on fans across the country to unite in a campaign to learn lifesaving CPR – that could be a game changer for survival rates.

The former Liverpool FC captain is joining forces with the nation’s heart charity, British Heart Foundation (BHF), to help save more lives from out of hospital cardiac arrest.

Over half (53%) of Brits are not confident performing CPR, despite one in five (20%) having been in a situation where they needed to perform it and 46% knowing someone who has had a cardiac arrest.

In a survey of 2,000 UK adults commissioned by the BHF to mark Heart Month this February, a staggering 45% of the population wouldn’t be able to spot the signs of cardiac arrest.

High profile pitch side cardiac arrest cases such as Christian Eriksen have influenced us, with nearly a third (32%) of footie fans investigating how to correctly perform CPR should the situation arise.

The survey also found that nine out of 10 (92%) of football fans are keen to learn CPR, with 85% keen to learn CPR if there was an easy way to do so online during the length of half time.

Souness, who is a BHF ambassador, is now calling on fans across the UK to learn CPR through BHF’s online tool RevivR – which teaches CPR in 15 minutes and could help save thousands of lives.

Graeme Souness said:

“CPR is a game changer and could be the most important lesson you ever learn. With RevivR, in just 15 minutes – the length of half time – you will have the skills to save a life. Every fan in every football club across the country can make a difference so please join the BHF today and let’s unite to create a new team of lifesavers.”

To show how easy it is to learn CPR through RevivR, Souness surprised Tooting & Mitcham United F.C. with a pitch side training session. The players were put through their paces trying out the tool and are now equipped with the skills they need to help save a life.

Souness is a long-standing ambassador for the charity after his own personal experience of coronary heart disease after receiving the diagnosis in his early 30s. At a time whilst managing Liverpool FC, the footballing star went on to have a triple bypass.

Shin pads that included simple CPR instructions were also handed out to the Tooting and Mitcham players, as a reminder of how to perform CPR whilst under pressure.

There are more than 30,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in the UK each year, but less than one in ten people survive. Early CPR and defibrillation can more than double the chances of surviving a cardiac arrest.

The survey also revealed over a third (37%) of clubs have provided football fans with some form of CPR information, with 69% of fans more likely to learn CPR if their club sign-posted it.

Dr Charmaine Griffiths, Chief Executive at British Heart Foundation, said: “As a nation of football lovers, we’re thrilled that legend of the game Graeme Souness is urging fans to learn lifesaving CPR.

“A cardiac arrest can happen to anyone, anywhere, at any age. If every fan in the country took the 15 minutes it takes to learn CPR with RevivR, it could mean the difference between life and death.”

RevivR means anyone can learn CPR – and all that is needed is a mobile phone and a cushion. It teaches 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 help in the ultimate medical emergency.

The BHF is now urging all football fans to grab a phone, cushion and 15 minutes to learn CPR in just the length of half time.

For more information on RevivR visit: www.bhf.org.uk/revivr