A MUM who rushed to a fire station to get help to save her baby's life has launched another free first aid course.
Francesca Lowe, from Lowton, was on the way to the supermarket in May 2015 when her four-week-old baby Thomas turned blue and went limp in his car seat.
She was with her mum Jenny Graham, who was driving, and her daughter Olivia, aged five, when she realised her new-born son was not breathing.
Despite Francesca trying to give first aid to Thomas, his condition failed to improve so they went to Leigh Fire Station as a crew were in the middle of a training exercise on the yard.
The firefighters sprang into action to give Thomas oxygen.
The terrifying experience left Francesca wanting to improve her knowledge of first aid and help others in her position.
Francesca with baby Thomas after the ordeal
She launched a Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK) first aid course in 2016, Save a Baby’s Life, through Wigan Council funding which has been run at Start Well centres in Westleigh and Atherton.
Since its launch its popularity has grown with around 700 people going on the courses in the last year.
And in March, Francesca rolled out RLSS UK’s Save a Child’s Life, which will provide instructions for giving first aid for children aged over 12 months.
Francesca, 44, said: "When Thomas started choking, I knew I had to give him back blows but not how many or how hard.
"Once I turned him over and his colour came back he was floppy and I didn't know what to do next, I didn't know if he was breathing properly or was out of danger.
"Afterwards I just thought I was so lucky to be in the right place and what if someone else experienced this and didn't know what to do like me.
"Over the last four years I really wanted all families to do first aid and that's why I've volunteered to teach it and get the funding for it to keep on being available.
"Even now I’m fighting for it to be kept going at Start Well centres because of getting funding and there being staff to teach it.
"I have had three parents contact me about choking incidents who have been on Save A Child's Life course where they have said they know what to do.
"The first aid makes them have such confidence and gives them a feeling of security.
"I tell people to come back with grandparents and bring a friend so they can learn about it.
"A lot of people who have been on the Save a Child's Life course have now been on the Save a Baby's Life courses.
"I think first aid should be included in antenatal packages. We are lucky that we have this in our borough."
Francesca with Thomas
Parent champion volunteer at the Westleigh Start Well centre, Francesca, teaches the courses along with children's worker Amy Morris.
She is hoping to set up a community interest company later this year in a bid to attract more funding and introduce the sessions to schools.
Francesca would also like to ensure sessions are run weekly rather than monthly and is hoping to find more venues that offer facilities for free.
She is looking to find out who would be interested in evening and weekend courses to teach first aid to working families or cover being able to arrange childcare.
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Professor Kate Ardern, director of public health at Wigan Council, said: “Francesca has done some amazing work in an area which she is really passionate about.
“We are happy that we could be involved in this potentially life-saving project by utilising our Start Well Centres.
“We hope Francesca is successful in her plans going forward and will continue to support her in whatever way we can.”
The Save a Baby's Life and Save a Child's Life classes take place at LEIGHway, Leigh Fire Station, Start Well Centres and Golborne Library on selected Tuesdays from 9.30am to 11.30am.
To book a course or for more information contact 01942 777705.
Here are the next first aid sessions:
Save A Baby's Life
Tuesday, June 11
Leigh Fire Station, St Helens Road
Tuesday, June 25
Golborne Library, Tanners Lane
Tuesday, July 9
Leigh Fire Station
Save a Child's Life
Tuesday, June 4
LEIGHway, Gas Street
Tuesday, June 18
Leigh Fire Station
Tuesday, July 2
Golborne Library
Tuesday, July 16
Leigh Fire Station
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