May is National Stop the Bleed Month. Did you know statistics show the number one cause of preventable death after an injury is bleeding? Stop the Bleed is an initiative launched by the White House back in 2015 as a national public awareness campaign to encourage bystanders to get trained, equipped, and empowered to help in a bleeding emergency before medical professionals arrive to take over. Knowing and using these skills can be the difference between life and death for someone seriously injured…and no one knows that better than Vidor, Texas, native 13-year-old Brett Baxter.

Here Brett is pictured recovering after a terrifying accident. Fortunately, this young teen is ok thanks to some good training and fast thinking on the part of a first-responder.

In the latest episode of CHRISTUS Calling’s podcast you can hear how the story unfolded from many of the people who came to the rescue including Mark Steele, a detective with the Orange County Sheriff’s office in Southeast Texas and Dr. David Parkus, the director of trauma surgery and surgical critical care at CHRISTUS Southeast Texas- St. Elizabeth.

Jennifer Carr, Vice President of Trauma Services at CHRISTUS Spohn Health System in the South Texas and Coastal Bend area also offers expert advice. As a nurse for 20 years, she’s a tremendous educator as well as an advocate for Stop the Bleed Classes

“The only thing more tragic than a death is a death that could be prevented,” said Carr.

Participants that take Stop the Bleed learn how to quickly identify and control life-threatening bleeding through the use of a tourniquet and wound packing while waiting for first responders to arrive. Uncontrolled bleeding from an extremity is a number one cause of preventable death in trauma. CHRISTUS Spohn offered a series of classes at their hospitals for anyone wanting to learn how to respond to an emergency like Baxter endured.

Listen to the latest episode of CHRISTUSCalling Podcast with Jillian Fertig. It is a story that has a happy ending and filled with helpful information that could end up saving a life.