Bra Off Defib On is a UK registered charity focused on improving survival rates for women experiencing cardiac arrest by raising awareness about the safe use of defibrillators (AEDs). Their core message is that bras should be removed before applying defibrillator pads so the pads can make proper skin contact and work effectively.
The organisation combines:
Public awareness campaigns – encouraging people to “bare the chest to save the rest” and reduce hesitation around exposing a woman’s chest during a medical emergency.
Training and education – delivering workshops on CPR, AED use, and safe bra removal during emergencies.
Advocacy and lobbying – working with first aid organisations, training providers, and defibrillator manufacturers to make bra removal standard guidance in first aid training and AED instructions.
Free educational resources – including posters, leaflets, heart attack symptom guides, and permission/pledge cards.
Community storytelling and consent campaigns – encouraging women to publicly give permission for bra removal in emergencies to reduce bystander hesitation.
The charity was launched in 2022 by first aid trainer Jenny Legg and became a registered charity in England and Wales (Charity No. 1205363).
BODO exists to tackle a gender-specific barrier in emergency cardiac care by educating the public and changing first aid practices around women and defibrillator use.