RTÉ man recalls how CPR saved his life

RTÉ’s Michael Lyster has told how he wouldn’t be here today if his wife hadn’t performed CPR on him when he suffered a cardiac arrest at home.

Speaking as he helped launch an appeal for volunteers for the 27th Happy Heart Appeal on Friday, May 12 in aid of Irish Heart, the popular broadcaster related  how his wife Anne saved his life when she gave him CPR until an ambulance arrived.

“CPR saves lives, no-one knows this better than me,” he said. “I collapsed with a cardiac arrest at home when my heart stopped beating. I wouldn’t be here today only for my wife Anne, who gave me CPR until an ambulance arrived.

“Without her pushing hard and fast on my chest, I would have been gone.

“But thanks to my wife and to CPR, I am alive here today. I’m one of the lucky ones and if more people know CPR, more lives like mine will be saved. So please, support Irish Heart and volunteer for their Happy Heart Appeal on May 12.”

Money raised for the Happy Heart Appeal will go towards Irish Heart’s CPR programmes to create lifesavers in every community in Ireland. It has been highlighted how starting CPR can double a person’s chance of survival. 

Singing for Happy Heart volunteers, comedian Fred Cooke added: “There isn’t a family in Ireland that hasn’t been affected by heart disease and stroke, including my own.

“There is never a good time to lose someone you love – it’s always too soon.

“We are dealing with the biggest disease of our time but thankfully it doesn’t have to be this way. There is something we can do about it.

“One way we can save more lives is to spread lifesaving CPR skills all around Ireland. By volunteering our time for the Happy Heart Appeal on May 12 we can help more families be together for longer.”

For more than 50 years, Irish Heart has been fighting heart disease and stroke and empowering the people of Ireland to live longer, happier lives.

Central to the mission of Irish Heart is to help save more lives.

To volunteer a few hours of your time on May 12 log on to www.irishheart.ie/happyhearts