Free Hands-Only CPR Classes in Champaign Aim to Boost Community’s Life-Saving Skills
A free hands-only CPR training program in Champaign will offer its first three public sessions on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, at Christie Clinic at The Fields, with registration now open to community members.
The 2026 Hands-Only CPR Training Program is being organized in connection with the Christie Clinic Illinois Race Weekend to equip runners, volunteers, and local residents with the skills to respond quickly if someone experiences sudden cardiac arrest. The initiative grew out of a 2024 half marathon incident in which fellow runners performed CPR and helped save a participant’s life, inspiring race organizers to expand access to CPR education at no cost.
The first three sessions of this year’s free training will take place on Saturday, Feb. 28, at Christie Clinic at The Fields, 3101 Fields South Drive, Champaign, at 1 p.m., 1:45 p.m., and 2:30 p.m. Each class will be brief and focused on teaching the essentials of hands-only CPR so participants can recognize an emergency, call 911, and deliver chest compressions until professional help arrives.
The training is being promoted as free to attend, with pre-registration requested so organizers can manage class size and ensure enough instructors and practice manikins for participants.
Registration for the Feb. 28 hands-only CPR training sessions is now open online through the event sign-up portal linked from the Christie Clinic and Christie Clinic Illinois Race Weekend websites and social media channels. Prospective participants can choose from the 1 p.m., 1:45 p.m., or 2:30 p.m. session times and are encouraged to sign up early, as space in each free class is limited. Classes will also be held March 28 and April 24.
In addition to recruiting community members to attend the training, organizers are also seeking CPR-certified volunteers to assist with instruction and logistics during the event at Christie Clinic at The Fields.
