If You'd Do Anything for Them, Do This: Learn First Aid This September

St John Ambulance launches campaign to teach 300,000 people lifesaving first aid We go to great lengths for our loved ones — from squeezing our partner’s spots, to watching our child’s favourite film 74 times.

- By Hazel Thompson Contributor

Some of us have even dressed up as a giant banana or helped throw a birthday party for a pet iguana. But when it comes to learning first aid — something that could actually save a life — many of us are still putting it off.

That's why health charity St John Ambulance is launching Save a Life September, a nationwide campaign aiming to teach 300,000 people the essential first aid skills to help someone experiencing cardiac arrest, severe bleeding or choking. The campaign launches as new research* reveals:

84% of respondents in the North West (also 84% nationally) say they’d do anything for their loved ones yet 43% of people (42% nationally) have never taken a first aid course [1]

Over four in 10 people (43%) (42% nationally) say they'd feel guilty if they didn’t know how to help a loved one in an emergency.

Many more people are likely to give up the last piece of chocolate for their loved one (42%) (38% nationally) than to learn first aid skills that could save their life (18%) (20% nationally).