Life-saving mission after cardiac arrest inspires defibrillator fundraiser

Cyclist Steve Shaw, whose life was saved following a cardiac arrest, is returning to his former school to support CPR training on Restart a Heart Day.

Steve, now 68, is passionate about raising awareness of life-saving skills after his own experience, where quick action and medical expertise proved crucial.

Colne Valley High School in Linthwaite, Huddersfield, is one of 180 secondary schools across the region taking part in Restart a Heart Day when 800 off-duty Yorkshire Ambulance Service staff and volunteers will teach more than 40,000 students how to perform CPR in just seven hours on Thursday 16 October.

Steve, who has just completed a 25-mile sponsored cycle from Leeds to Marsden in aid of the Yorkshire Ambulance Service Charity* to help fund six more public defibrillators in the village, hopes his story will inspire students and the wider community to learn CPR and support initiatives that increase access to the emergency equipment.

Steve’s ordeal happened on 28 August 2023 when he collapsed while out cycling in the centre of Marsden. Friends who lived nearby rushed to his side and called the ambulance. Luckily, two off duty paramedics were passing and stopped to look after him until the ambulance arrived.

Steve was taken to Leeds General Infirmary but while he was having surgery to fit a stent he went into cardiac arrest and was resuscitated by the crash team. He was put on life support for 18 hours and spent a further two weeks in hospital.

Steve, who lives in Marsden, said: “I was told that I had effectively died, and it was touch and go. It’s scary to think what could have happened if I’d had my cardiac arrest on a country road. My friends, the ambulance crew and the staff at Leeds General Infirmary saved my life and what happened highlights the importance of CPR training and defibrillators in the community.”

Recovery has been steady, and Steve is back on his bike twice a week. He has vowed to turn his experience into a money-spinning effort for the Yorkshire Ambulance Service Charity to raise £11,500 to provide six more defibrillators in the community, the first of which will be commissioned on Wednesday 15 October outside Marsden British Legion on the Dirker estate.

Steve is also supporting the Women’s Institute ‘Bystanders can be Lifesavers’ campaign and has been working with the Marsden Cuckoos Women’s Institute (WI) to improve local access to defibrillators and CPR training as well as highlighting that people are less likely to perform CPR on women compared to men in emergency situations.

As a result, Yorkshire Ambulance Service will, for the first time, be using anatomically accurate female manikins during the CPR training session at Colne Valley High School on Restart a Heart Day to help break down barriers and stigma associated with providing life-saving assistance to women.

Dreda Glennie, President of the Marsden Cuckoos WI, said: “Training everyone, no matter their age, and removing sensitives around helping women will save lives. We are so pleased that Yorkshire Ambulance Service has recognised the need to have both male and female manikins available for CPR training as this will help increase confidence in providing vital life-saving care. We are also grateful to Marsden Defib for raising awareness and funding to provide defibrillators in our local community.”

For more information about the fundraising campaign visit https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/marsdendefib-association-1?utm_medium=CR&utm_source=CL  and for details of up-and-coming fundraising events visit the Marsden Defib page on Facebook https://share.google/r8prQJFYqQvHz3G0v .