Life-saving equipment donated to University by local cardiac care charity

Published on 3, November, 2025

Students, staff, and visitors will have the chance to learn life-saving cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training using a new educational kiosk donated to the University of Sunderland by a local cardiac care charity.

Red Sky Foundation has donated a new mobile educational kiosk to the University which teaches simple CPR skills that, when used, can significantly increase the survival rate of someone undergoing cardiac arrest.

Nearly 40,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests happen in the UK every year, but survival rates are less than 10%. When a child or adult has a cardiac arrest, survival depends on immediately receiving CPR from a bystander to keep the heart pumping oxygenated blood around the body.

The kiosk, located in the University’s SU@CitySpace, includes an interactive resuscitation mannequin which gives feedback about the effectiveness of the chest compressions performed.

Delivered by Sergio Petrucci MBE, Founder of Red Sky Foundation, the kiosk was received (Friday 31 October) by the University’s Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Sir David Bell.

Sir David said: “With this new educational kiosk, we can ensure that staff, students, and visitors to the University get the chance to learn critical CPR skills that will ultimately save lives.

“On behalf of the University of Sunderland, I want to thank Sergio and the team at Red Sky Foundation for this life-saving donation and the tireless efforts of the foundation to help support families affected by heart disease.”

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Red Sky Foundation was founded by University of Sunderland honorary graduates Sergio Petrucci MBE and Emma Petrucci MBE after their daughter, Luna, underwent life-saving heart surgery which inspired them to help to support other families and medical professionals at the Children’s Heart Unit in Newcastle’s Freeman Hospital.

What began as a way to express their thanks soon turned into a mission for the Petruccis that has raised millions and funded life-saving equipment, cardiac healthcare, training, and education.

Since it was set up, the Foundation has helped install more than 1,500 defibrillators across the country – including at the University’s St. Peter’s and City Campus libraries.

In recognition of their outstanding contribution to heart health and wellbeing across the UK, Sergio and Emma were awarded honorary doctorates of health at the University of Sunderland’s summer graduation ceremonies 2025.

Sergio said: “We want to give as many people as possible the opportunity to access the training and increase bystander CPR. The kiosks are interactive and innovative enabling the public to understand and learn hands-on CPR.

“I’d like to say a massive thank you to the University of Sunderland for accepting our donation so we can educate more people across their student community helping them become confident lifesavers.”

For more information about learning CPR, click here.