A new information campaign has been launched to raise awareness of choking and how to prevent it.

The #BeChokeAware campaign is being supported by the family of Sherry Campbell, a 29-year-old school teacher from Down, who choked to death while on her own in her family's kitchen.

Around 162,000 people choke to death every year around the world, including 125 in Ireland.

"Choking is the fourth most common cause of unintentional non-disease-related death worldwide. In each of our 29 Emergency Departments (EDs) the length and breadth of the country, we see a number of choking incidents every year, some of which are unfortunately fatal," explained Dr Fergal Hickey, a consultant in emergency medicine.

He noted that while everyone is at risk of choking, some people have a significantly higher risk, such as stroke patients, people with intellectual disabilities, very elderly people and young children.

The campaign is being launched in conjunction with Life Vac, a new choking assistance device that can be easily used alongside general choking guidelines in an emergency situation.

This medical suction device can be used in the same way as a plunger, to extract a lodged item from a choking person's airway.

"While everyone should learn basic life support, the availability of something like the Life Vac may provide another useful tool in treating a choking person. Where those at high risk of choking are congregated, there is a particular logic in being as well prepared as possible should this frightening and potentially fatal emergency occur," commented Dr Hickey.

As part of the campaign, the makers of Life Vac - Promed Home - will donate a percentage of the sales to the Sherry Campbell Foundation. This was set up by friends of Ms Campbell to increase awareness of choking and to raise funds for a special needs teaching assistant in the school where she worked.

"We set up the foundation to provide a valuable legacy for a cause close to Sherry's heart. She was genuinely one of the sweetest people you could meet. She was an extremely caring person and adored working with special needs children.

"I know she would want to ensure that people were aware of how to prevent choking either for themselves or for others and this is what we are hoping to achieve with the #BeChokeAware campaign," said the foundation's founder, Dannielle Elmes.

The campaign advises the following if you see an adult or older child choking:

-Check the situation. If they are coughing forcefully, encourage them to continue coughing to try and clear the object. If they can't cough, speak or breathe, you will need to act immediately.

-Perform the Heimlich manoeuvre. Let the person know that you are going to perform the Heimlich manoeuvre as follows:
• Stand behind the person with one leg forward between the victim's legs
• For a child, move down to their level and keep your head to one side
• Reach around the abdomen and locate the navel (belly button)
• Place the thumb side of your fist against the abdomen just above the navel
• Grasp your fist with your other hand and thrust inward and upward into the victim's abdomen with quick jerks
• For a responsive pregnant victim, or any victim you cannot get your arms around or for whom abdominal thrusts are not effective, give chest thrusts from behind; avoid squeezing the ribs with your arms
• Continue thrusts until the victim expels the object or becomes unresponsive
• Even after choking stops, seek medical attention.

For further information on this campaign, click here 

For more information on the Sherry Campbell Foundation, click here