Former footballer Fabrice Muamba says that revolutionary new CPR training videos being shared by Snapchat could save countless lives, especially among young people.
The 34-year-old ex-midfielder, who played for the likes of Bolton Wanderers, Birmingham City and Arsenal, says these virtual CPR lessons could help educate entire generations thanks to the app’s massive reach.
Speaking to the BBC, he said that since young people are often out with friends, “if they don’t know how to do CPR, then they’re in serious trouble” – hence why campaigns like this are so “very important”.
How does it work?
The new Snapchat feature which can be found in the Lenses section of the app teaches cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) via the camera filter, which overlays instructional graphics.
Created with the help of the global Red Cross charity, the CPR function will guide users on how to perform chest compressions and present them with a quiz to see how well they have learned the basics of the potentially life-saving emergency procedure.
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The hope is that the joint initiative will teach CPR millions, with the app boasting more than 347 million daily active users at present, as well as expand into wider first aid measures in the future.
Moreover, while the core demographic of teenagers and young people under 25 make up nearly half of their entire user base, there are still plenty of adults who use the app across the UK alone.
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A cause close to his heart
The Congolese-born footballer came through Arsenal’s youth academy and played as a senior professional for more than seven years before his career was cut tragically short in one of the scariest moments in live football history.
Just age 23 at the time, Muamba suffered a cardiac arrest in the middle of the pitch while playing for Bolton in an FA Cup match against Spurs back in 2012.
After his heart stopped, medics spent over six minutes trying to resuscitate him on the pitch before he was rushed to the hospital by emergency responders.
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In a terrifying series of events, he was declared “effectively dead” for a full 78 minutes and it took 15 defibrillator shocks to restart his heart.
Growing concern for player welfare
Since his incident over a decade ago, there have been a number of high-profile incidents of cardiac arrest on playing pitches, including former Manchester United players Daley Blind and Christian Eriksen, who collapsed mid-game and now both are fitted with a defib implant.
The latest to be forced into retirement was Brighton player Enock Mwepu, who just days ago was diagnosed with a heart condition after falling ill on holiday. As a result, people are calling for deeper investigations into players’ well-being.
As Muamba says, “if this happened to me in my house, I don’t think we’d have this conversation today” and these players were at least fortunate to have first-class medical aid on hand.
The cardiac campaigner and charity worker says Snapchat’s CPR tool “is self-explanatory and easy to use” and reiterated “it’s all about being proactive… rather than being scared of not doing anything.
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“You learn how to do it and then once you find yourself in that predicament, you’re able to remember what you learned – it’s about taking action and actually being able to do it in the first place.
First off, if someone is unconscious or not breathing normally, you should call 999 immediately before you start attempting chest compressions. From there, this is how you perform CPR:
Kneel down and place the heel of your hand on the breastbone at the centre of the person’s chest
Place the palm of your other hand on top and interlock your fingers
Position yourself so your shoulders are directly above your hands
Using your body weight, press straight down by 5-6cm (2-2.5 inches) on their chest
Keeping your hands on their chest, release the compression and allow their chest to return to its original position
Repeat these compressions 100-120 times a minute until an ambulance arrives.
As always, a good trick for doing chest compressions is to do them to the rhythm of ‘Stayin’ Alive’ by the Bee Gees (yes, like in The US Office episode).
If you learn now, you could save a life one day. You can also watch an instructional video on how to properly perform CRP down below:
Featured Image — Wikimedia Commons
Sport
Lancashire Cricket are offering free programmes to 1,400 kids across the county and Greater Manchester
Danny Jones
The Lancashire Cricket Foundation is offering free cricket programmes to 1,400 kids across the county and the Greater Manchester region this summer.
Offering coaching and games to children from disadvantaged backgrounds whilst also aiming for greater female participation this year, the Foundation’s bursary programme is being opened up to young ones all across Lancashire and various parts of 0161.
Set to deliver opportunities to a record number of kids in 2024, the scheme is part of the nationwide All Stars and Dynamos initiative – now into its sixth year and set up by the England and Wales Cricket Board – and is open to all kids between the ages of 5-11, with more than 5,600 in Lancashire last year alone.
The aim is pretty simple: keep kids active and playing as much as possible, whilst also helping nurture the world of grassroots cricket.
Last year, around 1,200 Lancashire kids and beyond were given free cricket bursaries. (Credit: Supplied)
While the eight-hour long kids courses themselves cost £30 for the younger bracket and £40 for those 8-11, bursary places are being reserved for children living in deprived areas and diverse communities, where participation would otherwise be limited.
The programme has proved massively popular all across the North West and thanks to likes of total of the Red Rose’s Community Foundation works, who have brought the scheme to more than 200 clubs and centres across the nation, more than 20,000 children have taken part since it was introduced.
Now that’s one way to put the future of UK cricket in safe hands.
As for the All Stars and Dynamos, in addition to providing a social outlet and activities to help develop fundamental skills on and off the pitch, organisers always ensure to make things fully inclusive and support a wide range of abilities, disabilities and different learning needs.
In addition to the coaching received, every child who registers also receives their very own t-shirt, personalised with their name and number, as well as a range of other benefits including priority access to LCC tickets, chances to meet players, discounts on merch and lots of other potential prizes.
Ready to make this summer the best one yet in Lancashire? ☀️
Jen Barden, Executive Director of the Lancashire Cricket Foundation, said of this year’s efforts:“Through a variety of programmes, the Foundation delivers cricket to more than 110,000 participants in our schools, clubs, and communities, and we have a strong commitment to growing the game of cricket across the county.
“We are particularly proud of the Bursary Scheme that provides young people from disadvantaged backgrounds and under-represented groups with access to cricket. These programmes are vital for introducing the game to more young people, helping them stay active and develop new skills, in a fun, friendly, and inclusive environment.”
Parents can register their children for All Stars and Dynamos Cricket courses and find out whether they qualify for a bursary HERE.
Everton manager Sean Dyche randomly pops up in the music video for Blossoms’ new single – and he’s great
Danny Jones
Did anyone else think they’d ever see Sean Dyche make his acting debut in the role of a Northern crime boss in a silly little music video for the Blossoms?
No, us neither but that’s the bizarre alternate reality we’re living in, apparently.
Blossoms are currently working on the fifth studio album and have already released their lead single entitled, ‘To Do List (After The Break-Up)’, but now they have a new song out as well, with a rather amusing music video to go along with it and somehow Sean Dyche has found himself the star.
The Stockport band teased the curious collaboration in April, giving us just short glimpses of the Everton manager and former Burnley boss with very little explanation – all we know is that it looked funny and it was.
Sean Dyche sends the five of us on a mission in our new single What Can I Say (After I’m Sorry) out Wednesday 1st May ⏰ pic.twitter.com/WcDdfgAD1m
Sean Dyche stars as the boss in the music video for Blossoms’ latest single, ‘What Can I Say After I’m Sorry?’ As you do.
Dyche is still busy trying to finish the Premier League campaign as strong as possible after successfully navigating the Toffees to safety even in spite of their points deductions this season, but it sounds like keeping them up has given him enough time to moonlight as an actor.
Sending the indie five-piece on a mission to collect something of value (yes, that’s all the info we have at this point as the story is still to be continued), it looks like the Kettering-born coach has a larger role to play in whatever this narrative turns out to be.
Playing what can only be described as some kind of semi-Manc mafia figure on the hunt for a very valuable piece of art, i.e. a big giant gorilla statue – one that many Stopfordians spotted being lugged around various parts of the borough –
They also shared a little bit of BTS footage from the shoot for the music video last week. Some lovely head-bobbing and unassuming surroundings here:
As for the track itself, it’s a bit of stylistic change for the lads who’ve mastered their 80s-tinged indie formula over the past decade but it’s an absolute pop and is already stuck in our heads.
Revealing that they’ve collaborated with contemporary funk, disco and electronic icons Jungle on the track, it doesn’t take too long to hear the influences. Look forward to hearing it at Wythenshawe Park this summer.
You can watch the music video for ‘What Can I Say?’ and the ginger-goatee’d football manager extraordinaire in full character HERE.
He’s not the only footballing figure who’s made an entertainment crossover recently either.
So, Erling Haaland is now a character in Clash of Clans… 👀
Bit random, we know, but it's a funny little trailer. 😅