CPR Knowledge Can Save a Life
By the News-RegisterJudy Monahan was very, very lucky. She and her cardiologist, Dr. Richard Fanning of Wheeling Hospital, are trying to ensure that other area residents have the same kind of luck.
As we reported earlier this week, Monahan had a heart attack as she entered the White Palace at Wheeling Park for a concert on April 11. Several local residents witnessed her collapse and administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation - CPR - to her.
Monahan was lucky that people with CPR knowledge were present. Had she not received immediate attention, she probably would have died.
Those who helped her certainly deserve credit. They include C.J. McFarland, Debbie Gantzer, Joanna Merriman, Nora Phemester and Dr. Hugo Andreini.
After learning of what happened, Fanning launched a campaign to recruit people to teach others how to perform CPR - and to spread the word about the skill throughout the Ohio Valley.
Monahan was especially lucky that most of those who aided her work in health care professions. But as Fanning pointed out, it does not require specialized health care knowledge to administer CPR. And it does not require special physical strength.
What is required is knowledge of the skills needed for CPR. Though it isn't as easy as one might think from watching some television shows, it involves techniques most people can learn - if they are willing to devote a few hours to being instructed.
Too many heart attack victims die before they can receive professional health care assistance, either from ambulance personnel or at hospitals. Some of them could have been saved had CPR been administered to them by bystanders.
Monahan was one of that number. She and Fanning want to make the odds better for those who find themselves in similar situations.
If you're interested in being part of Fanning's campaign, call his office at 304-242-1273. In deciding whether to call, think about this: The life you save by learning - or instructing - CPR could be that of a loved one.
