Every Second Counts: Learning CPR Together

August 25th, 2025

Posted in General

There are some lessons that don’t come printed in textbooks, yet they stay with us forever. On 19th and 20th August, the corridors of St. Francis Xavier School carried a rhythm very different from the usual chatter of lessons and laughter – it was the steady beat of chest compressions, echoing a life skill that every human being should know.

We had the privilege of welcoming a team of doctors and healthcare professionals from the Indian Society of Critical Care Medicine (ISCCM). Leading with both expertise and empathy, the team—Dr. Saswati Sinha, Dr. Arjun (Manipal Hospital, Dhakuria), Dr. Rimita Dey, Dr. Prashant Verma, Dr. Debankita, and Ms. Trishna Samanta (Ruby General Hospital)—became our teachers for the day.

What they brought to us was more than medical knowledge—it was empowerment. With patience and clarity, they taught us the basics of CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation), demonstrating how a few timely actions could bridge the fragile gap between life and death.

As students, we are used to learning formulas, writing essays, and memorizing facts. But this experience reminded us that education is not just about marks and grades. It is about being prepared for life itself. Knowing how to respond in an emergency, how to stay calm and act when every second counts, is perhaps one of the most valuable lessons we could ever learn.

The training left us not only more informed but also more responsible. It was a reminder that we all carry the potential to save a life – not with extraordinary powers, but with ordinary hands trained in the right way.