Eric saves his wife's life.....with CPR

A geologist from Bristol put in a marathon effort to conquer the TCS 2024 London Marathon while raising funds for the British Heart Foundation (BHF).

Eric Downey, 55, joined a team of 800 BHF runners who took to the streets of London on Sunday 21st April all with the same mission to fund lifesaving research.

The iconic event raised more than ￡1.4 million for the BHF, which will enable the charity to continue to fund groundbreaking research into new treatments and cures for heart and circulatory diseases.

Eric who completed the gruelling 26.2-mile course in 4 hours 40 minutes, raised an incredible ￡5,500 for the BHF.

He took on the challenge after his wife Katharine Downey , 52, had a cardiac arrest while at home last July. Luckily Eric was at home and helped save her life by performing CPR on her while he waited for the ambulance to arrive.

Eric said: “Katharine’s cardiac arrest was sudden and unexpected. It was like an ordinary day but in the flick of a switch it changed. She came down for lunch and collapsed. I put her in the recovery position and realised she wasn’t breathing and didn’t have a pulse. I was trained by St John Ambulance in CPR so I knew what to do.

“I did CPR for seven minutes and then the paramedics arrived and took over. They used a defibrillator on her four times but she wasn’t stable so the air ambulance was brought in. The put her in an induced coma in the front of the house and she was taken to hospital. She spent five days in an induced coma and then another three weeks in hospital.”

Katharine was diagnosed with Churg-Strauss Syndrome, an inflammatory disease of small and medium sized blood vessels and fitted with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). Eric said that Katharine’s “not 100% yet but is doing much better”.

Structural Soils , part of the RSK Group where Eric works, has partnered with the BHF to roll out RevivR training to over 15,000 people at the company. RevivR is the BHF’s free online tool that can teach CPR and defibrillation in just 15 minutes, using just a mobile phone and a cushion. Giving CPR and using a defibrillator can more than double the chances of survival in the ultimate medical emergency.

Eric is no stranger to running a marathon. He has run over 20 marathons and completed seven IRONMAN Foundation .

Upon crossing the finish line, Eric said: “Taking part in the 2024 TCS London Marathon for the British Heart Foundation (BHF), was such a huge challenge and an incredible experience. Following my wife’s cardiac arrest and subsequent recovery, I’m an ambassador for the BHF’s RevivR programme to encourage as many people as possible to learn the lifesaving skill of CPR. If we can save one life, this will all have been worth it."

“The atmosphere around the course was electric and it was amazing having so many people cheering me on, it made me even more determined to cross the finish line".?

“The research that the BHF does makes such a difference to the 7.6 million people in the UK living with heart and circulatory diseases.? I’m proud that I’m doing as much as I can to support their amazing work to help fund the next big scientific breakthrough.”?

Andy Tribe , Events Manager at the BHF, added: “It’s fantastic to see Eric’s courage and determination in helping us fund lifesaving research. Without the dedication of our team of BHF runners and the commitment of people like Eric, we wouldn’t be able to fund research that has already broken new ground, revolutionised treatments and transformed the lives of millions of people in the UK.??

“The stories of why our amazing supporters take part never fails to amaze me and it was incredible to see Eric and 800 others take on such a gruelling challenge to help save and improve lives.”?

To take on your own challenge for the BHF, visit www.bhf.org.uk/events????