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Zombies CPR: Zombies Teach CPR In New Awareness Video For Heart And Stroke Foundation Canada

Attention Getter: Zombies Teach CPR

The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada is using the scare-power of zombies to teach CPR.

This Halloween-inspired public service announcement aims to promote life-saving practices across Canada. The video, called The Undeading, is directed by Splice's Vincenzo Natali, and features a horde of zombies that 'save' a woman who goes into cardiac arrest. Not spooked yet? Good. The video ends with a straightforward message, "CPR makes you undead."

According to the Toronto Star, performing CPR is the only way to save the lives of some of the 95 per cent of people who suffer from sudden away-from-hospital cardiac arrests.

“The problem we have right now is the underlying, very serious issue that people aren’t prepared to act, or are afraid that they’ll do more harm than good, which is not the case,” said Mark Holland, director of health promotion and public affairs for the Heart and Stroke Foundation, to the Toronto Star. “This campaign is aimed squarely to debunk those myths.”

The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada will run this campaign until Nov., and will host life-saving training events across Ont., among other events. Also on the docket is an attempt to get 10,000 people to break the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest-ever CPR training session, at Canada's Wonderland. Sticking with the 'undead' theme, the initiative is also partnered with the Toronto Zombie Walk, raising funds through the event attended by thousands.

Ontario sees 7,000 cardiac arrests each year, but only five per cent survive outside of a hospital — a survival rate the foundation says can increase through more widespread use of CPR in emergency situations. Holland told the Starthat the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada is looking to increase the province's save rate to 16 per cent, to put it on par with Seattle, one of the most cardiac-safe communities on the continent.

Is a post-apocalyptic revival scene the best way to spread the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada's message? Have a look at the video and leave a comment.

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