Hato Hone St John introduces first female-form CPR manikins, donated by MAS

On 16 October, MAS and Hato Hone St John hosted Every Heart Matters at Eden Park. It was an event focused on raising awareness of the gender gap in cardiac arrest survival and encouraging more New Zealanders to learn lifesaving skills. 

As part of the event, we gifted 16 female-form CPR manikins to Hato Hone St John. This helps make CPR and defibrillator training more representative of the diverse range of people who may need lifesaving care. 

The donation builds on MAS's ongoing partnership with Hato Hone St John, through which MAS sponsors the 3 Steps for Life programme. This programme provides free and practical training to help New Zealanders recognise cardiac arrest, perform CPR and use a defibrillator. 

Founded by doctors over 100 years ago, MAS has a long history of caring for those who care for others. Today, that commitment extends to supporting initiatives that help build stronger, healthier communities across Aotearoa, New Zealand. 

Bridging the gender gap   

When someone experiences a cardiac arrest, every second counts. But research shows that women are less likely than men to receive lifesaving intervention. In fact, women have 60% lower odds of receiving bystander defibrillation and 50% lower odds of surviving an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest than their male counterparts. 

While there are several factors that may contribute to this imbalance, research suggests that discomfort or uncertainty around performing CPR on women, including exposing the chest or placing defibrillator pads, could play a role. 

Research from the University of Melbourne also found that just 5% of CPR manikins available globally are female-form, meaning the vast majority of CPR training takes place on male-form manikins. 

The 16 new female-form manikins donated by MAS will help make training more realistic, giving participants practical experience performing CPR and using a defibrillator on different body types.

MAS Chief Distribution and Marketing Officer Matt Harvey says the initiative is about helping ensure everyone has the best possible chance of survival. 

"We know there are disparities in who receives CPR and defibrillation, particularly for women, and we need to look at what we can do differently.

By making CPR training more representative of real life, we hope to help more people feel confident stepping in and taking action, regardless of who needs help. Ultimately, it's about making sure everyone has the best possible chance of survival." 

Every Heart Matters  

The Every Heart Matters event was held on World Restart a Heart Day, a global initiative encouraging more people to learn CPR and how to use a defibrillator in a cardiac arrest emergency.

It also formed part of the annual Shocktober campaign with Hato Hone St John, which runs throughout October to raise awareness of cardiac arrest and teach communities about the importance of early intervention. 

In New Zealand, around 72% of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests happen at home. This means the person who needs help could be a friend, family member or someone close to us. 

Through our support of Shocktober and the 3 Steps for Life programme, MAS is helping more New Zealanders learn the skills to respond in a cardiac emergency. 

Because when it comes to saving a life, every heart matters. 

Could you save a life? Learn more about Hato Hone St John's free 3 Steps for Life training and find a session near you.