Cardiac team joins the Red Dragons to support Heart Month

09/02/2023

During February Wrexham Maelor Hospital’s Cardiac Rehabilitation Team is teaming up with Wrexham AFC, along with the British Heart Foundation Cymru, to show their support for Heart Month. 

Every year around 2,800 people suffer an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in Wales, with only 1 in 20 surviving. 

So now Wrexham AFC, British Heart Foundation Cymru and Wrexham Maelor Hospital are teaming up to make people more aware of their heart health and learn simple lifesaving skills. 

When Wrexham AFC take on Wealdstone on Saturday, February 11th, staff from the Cardiac Rehabilitation Team will be on site pre match handing out flyers highlighting and offering FREE blood pressure checks. The checks will take place on outside of the Macron stand, near the Mold Road Reception. 

If you’re not at the game don’t worry you can get a FREE Blood Pressure check at one of our drop-in sessions taking place on the 15th and 22nd February. The checks will take place in the Wrexham AFC Community Trust Offices at the back of the University stand, 10.30am-11.30am on the 15th February and 3pm-4pm on the 22nd February. 

During the month of February, players from the Men’s and Women’s 1st teams will be given practical advice on how to perform CPR through RevivR, the BHF’s free, first-of-its-kind CPR training tool. 

The RevivR tool provides a 15-minute online CPR training session which can be done at home or at work. RevivR shows you when and how to do CPR to save someone’s life - all you need is 15 minutes, your phone and a firm cushion. Learn CPR through RevivR here: http://revivr.bhf.org.uk. 

First Team Manager, Phil Parkinson said “CPR is an important life skill and it’s a great opportunity to remind everyone of this and how easy it can be to save someone’s life. We have seen in football over recent years that this can happen to anyone. In stadiums we have amazing medical staff on site but at home or work this isn’t always the case, so we would encourage everyone to learn this skill.” 

Jacqueline Cliff, Cardiac Rehabilitation Nurse, said: "We are delighted to be working with Wrexham AFC and the British Heart Foundation Cymru to help raise awareness of heart health, and to help people learn lifesaving skills. 

"We look forward to seeing football supporters at The Racecourse on Saturday (February 11th) before the match. Anyone can come and talk to us. We'll be highlighting the symptoms of a heart attack, discussing blood pressure and giving advice on how people can look after their hearts" 

Rhodri Thomas, Head of British Heart Foundation Cymru, said: “We are thrilled that Wrexham AFC are taking a leading role in raising awareness of heart health and the importance of CPR in their community. RevivR is our first-of-its-kind online CPR training tool, designed to teach these lifesaving skills in just 15 minutes. 

“A cardiac arrest can happen at any time and anywhere. CPR can help you save a life, and RevivR is an easy, quick and free way to learn. All you need is 15 minutes and a firm cushion.” 

To find out more information about heart month and local services please use this link or scan the QR code below to learn CPR through RevivR.