Worthing Community First Responder (CFR), Sally Holmes, is shining a light on the gender disparities in CPR and defibrillator delivery by supporting a vital campaign #BraOffDefibOn.
With 27 per cent of women less likely to receive CPR from bystanders than men in a cardiac arrest, Sally has been helping tackle the stigma and delivering CPR training in the Worthing community, emphasising the message ‘Bra Off, Defib On’.
Launched in 2022 by learning and development professional, Jenny Legg, the campaign aims to raise awareness that women wearing bras are less likely to have CPR conducted on them than men and normalise the taboo of bra removal in lifesaving circumstances.
This year, Sally has been working closely with the Worthing Women’s Institute, whose resolution – ‘bystanders can be lifesavers’ – aligns closely with our mission. With the help of Sally, multiple CPR training sessions have been delivered, empowering members with life-saving skills and AED awareness.
The most recent session saw an excellent turnout of 30 attendees who showed strong support for breaking the taboo surrounding CPR for women. This is a vital step in helping to raise awareness of the inequalities affecting women within our communities and ensuring more people are equipped and confident with the skills to save a life, regardless of gender.
Sally’s commitment to sharing this message and teaching life-saving skills has reached 1,165 participants this year with her dedicating a remarkable 54 training sessions throughout 2025.
Thank you, Sally, and to all our volunteer team, for delivering vital training sessions to our local communities and helping us continue to save lives.