Changing Our Shocking Behaviour One Bra At A Time
Cardiac arrest kills thousands of men and women every year, yet women are less likely to have a lifesaving defibrillator applied by a bystander.
Increasing the chances of survival
For many people, removing a bra and baring a woman’s chest feels uncomfortable. That hesitation can cause critical delays in treatment when every second counts, reducing the chance of survival.
Correct pad placement is essential when using a defibrillator - the pads must be placed directly onto bare skin in specific positions so the electrical current travels through the entire heart.
Clothing, bras, breast tissue and social hesitation can all create barriers to achieving correct pad placement and may delay life saving treatment.
Transforming First Aid Training
We’re excited that the latest Resuscitation Council UK guidance now addresses removing or moving a bra where needed to achieve correct defibrillator pad placement on bare skin.
Our BODO Ambassadors go above and beyond.
Alongside teaching the practicalities of removing or moving bras and other barriers to exposing the chest, our Ambassadors explore the human factors that can cause hesitation during a cardiac arrest — including embarrassment, uncertainty, consent and fear of doing the wrong thing.
People Trained To Date
Survivor Stories
Getting right to the heart of the matter
We all hope to never be in a situation where we may need to use a defibrillator or have a defibrillator used on us but it is likely that we all know someone who has suffered this tragic event.
Stories are at the heart of our community. We are proud to showcase members of our community who bravely share their stories and experiences.
You can read our Survivor Stories here.
Do you have a story to tell?
Patsy & Lucy Soper
"My little boys came in saying, 'What's wrong with nanny?' I had to zone them out and focus on what I was doing."