Jovan Bjelan

Carolyn Bjelan from Harrogate, North Yorkshire used CPR to save her husband’s life just a month after completing first aid training.

Carolyn is now calling for all schools and workplaces to teach life-saving skills to improve the chances of people surviving a cardiac arrest outside hospital.

Carolyn had to use her life-saving skills when husband Jovan suddenly collapsed at their Harrogate home while doing some DIY.

“I was upstairs and heard a loud thud and when I found him I thought he must have fallen off the ladder.”
“When I realised he wasn’t breathing there were a few seconds when I panicked and thought I can’t do this, but then the training kicked in and I knew I had to act quickly.

“I started CPR and rang for the ambulance putting them on speaker phone. I knew time was so important as the longer the brain is starved of oxygen the greater the chance of brain injury.”