A Scunthorpe man is marking ten years since he saved his friend’s life using CPR during a cardiac arrest by embarking on a gruelling 12-day trek – with all funds going to the British Heart Foundation.
Joe Toplass – who turns 30 this month – was getting ready for a night out with his friend in 2014 when he suddenly suffered a cardiac arrest and collapsed. The then-20-year-old sprang into action and administered CPR on his friend until the ambulance arrived, saving his life in the process.
Just two years previously, Joe had been taught how to administer CPR by his dad, Paul, a former firefighter for the Humberside Fire and Rescue Service – and claims he “wouldn’t have known what to do” without the crucial training.
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The children’s football coach is now gearing up to embark on an epic 12-day trek to Mount Everest Basecamp to mark ten years since becoming a life saver, and to celebrate his 30th birthday. All funds donated to the challenge will go to the British Heart Foundation.
Joe said: “It’s going to be a tough, tough trek so should really challenge me. It’s going to be one of those life-changing experiences and it is going to test me mentally and physically but I am also really looking forward to it.”
(Image: BHF)
Recalling the night in 2014 when he saved his friend’s life, he said: “I was at Danny’s house one evening and we were just having a few drinks.
“He had three children asleep upstairs and we were getting ready for a night out when suddenly he had a cardiac arrest. Although we had been to the pub in the daytime, it was one of those moments you just sober up immediately
“I started giving him CPR until the ambulance arrived, he was taken to hospital and then the next day I had a call to say he had survived and he was improving.
“It sounds like a cliche but I really don’t think I would have known what to do. It was a couple of years before that my dad had taught me what to do but it came back to me straight away.”
Joe visited Danny in hospital where he thanked him for saving his life. “He’s a man of little words but he did say ‘thank you for what you have done mate’ and we became quite close after that, as you can imagine,” he said.
(Image: BHF)
New figures released by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) reveal that nearly half of adults in the UK (43 percent) have never learned CPR, and that 58 percent of households do not have anyone within them who has learned the essential skill.
This is despite there being over 30,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests every year in the UK. Tragically, less than one in ten people survive.
Dr Charmaine Griffiths, Chief Executive of the British Heart Foundation, said: “We are so proud to get Joe’s support this Heart Month which is a brilliant example of why being able to step in and perform CPR really can be the difference between life and death. A cardiac arrest can affect anyone, at any time, so we want as many people to learn CPR as possible.
“Not enough of us are confident and ready to use this skill. With our tool RevivR, all you need to learn how to save a life is a spare 15 minutes, a phone and a cushion. Give it a try during your next coffee or lunch break – it could help you save a life, a loved one.”
RevivR is a free online training course which gives people the opportunity to learn CPR in just 15 minutes. You can join here.
To donate to Joe’s Everest Basecamp Trek challenge, you can donate via his Gofundme page here.
Original artice: https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/all-about/scunthorpe
