The Paramedicine Society hosted a CPR Marathon and bystander CPR demonstration at CastleCourt, Belfast on Saturday 23rd May 2026.
Throughout the day, student representatives took part in continuous CPR for 9 hours, highlighting the physical and mental endurance required in life-saving care.
Alongside the marathon, members of the public were invited to participate in CPR demonstrations led by the students. The aim of the event was to increase public confidence in recognising cardiac arrest, calling for help, and starting CPR before emergency services arrive. Ultimately, the students wanted people to feel empowered and confident enough to step forward and help in an emergency.
The event attracted significant attention throughout the day. Many attendees had never performed CPR before or did not feel confident doing so. By the end of the demonstrations, participants reported feeling more confident and felt they had learned valuable skills that could one day save a life. Both children and adults engaged with the event, helping to raise awareness of the importance of bystander CPR and generating strong support from the local community.
Thanks to the incredible generosity of supporters, sponsors and everyone who attended and donated, approximately £3,400 has been raised through the event, sponsorship contributions and the Society's GoFundMe page.
Paramedicine Society representatives Annie Jagoe, Aoife Rooney and Cayce Hendry said:
"We were overwhelmed by the support we received throughout the CPR Marathon. It was fantastic to see so many people stop, take part in the demonstrations and learn more about CPR. While fundraising was an important goal, one of the biggest successes of the day was helping people feel more confident about what to do in an emergency.
Every minute counts during a cardiac arrest, and bystander CPR can make a huge difference before emergency services arrive. Seeing both children and adults engage with the demonstrations and leave with potentially life-saving knowledge made the event incredibly rewarding. We would like to thank everyone who donated, volunteered, shared our fundraiser or took the time to learn CPR. The support from the local community exceeded our expectations and helped make the day a huge success."