[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Between the ever-evolving Covid-19 situation and the collapse of footballer Christian Eriksen, 2021 was a significant year for any businesses working in the fields of health, wellbeing or life-saving equipment and know-how.

With that in mind, we wanted to end the year by looking at past heart-warming tales from around the web where people were rescued by a combination of CPR and defibrillation.

Thankfully, the people in these stories lived to see another Christmas with their loved ones – all because they had a defibrillator within easy reach when it was needed most.

Saved in her sleep

[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_single_image image=”2550″ img_size=”full”][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Image credit: East Midlands Ambulance Service

A cardiac arrest really can happen at any place, at any time, and to anyone. For nurse Charlotte Pickwick, it occurred in the early hours of Boxing Day 2017.

Tired from a busy Christmas Day, Charlotte climbed into bed and drifted off to sleep. Then, in the middle of the night, she became unconscious and stopped breathing.

Luckily, her husband Stuart had learned CPR at a local first aid course a few years prior. After calling 999, he set about administering life-saving preserving to his wife while call taker Claire Smalley walked him through the steps he needed to take over the phone.

While this was happening, the couple’s son, Sam, woke up, turned the lights on in the house, and opened the door to await the ambulance crew, who by now were already on their way.

They arrived within minutes and used a defibrillator to shock her heart into a normal rhythm.

Despite going into cardiac arrest twice more in hospital, Charlotte not only survived but went on to qualify as a British Heart Foundation instructor, teaching the public first aid skills and defibrillator usage.

“Thanks to the ambulance service and my husband I am here today and can still be a mum to my son and daughter,” said Charlotte.

“I am eternally grateful; there are not enough words to describe how I feel about them. They are my heroes.”

Life on the line at festive football

[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”16px”][vc_single_image image=”2551″ img_size=”full”][vc_empty_space height=”16px”][vc_column_text]Image credit: Andrew Barnett via Wales Online

Not many people go to an ‘adults and kids’ Christmas football match and leave on a stretcher for any reason – let alone their heart stopping. Unfortunately, that was the case for Andrew Barnett in December 2018.

Like Christian Eriksen, Andrew was running around and then suddenly collapsed, falling flat on his front.

Luckily the football pitch was located near a local leisure centre – and the staff had a defibrillator on hand.

“I think luck was a really big part of it [his survival],” Andrew told Wales Online. “The location I was, that had trained staff, had the defibrillator available as well.”

Two leisure centre staff that day were responsible for saving Andrew’s life.

“I started CPR and a colleague started unpacking the defib,” said duty manager Ben Clarke. “I continued CPR and the machine showed he needed a shock.”

That shock was delivered because centre swimming instructor Sheila Mott was able to quickly set up the defib and intuitively follow the instructions given by the machine.

“Everyone should learn CPR,” said Sheila, “And everyone who has access to a defibrillator should register it on The Circuit. Unless it’s registered, how will people know where it is if it’s needed?”

Mercifully, medics arrived shortly after and Andrew made it to hospital, where he was treated for a blocked coronary artery and fitted with a stent. He’s now even able to keep playing football with his kids – all because his rescuers had the right training and equipment on-hand.

Speaking to Wales Online a few months later, he said “Having the network and knowledge of where they are for the ambulance service, I think it’s so important. I’d say to anyone who has a defibrillator in their club, community or workplace: Register your defibrillator to help save more lives.”

An unexpected phone box defibrillator

[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”16px”][vc_single_image image=”2552″ img_size=”full”][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]Image credit: Carol Hinton via The Mirror Online

The last of our three defibrillator Christmas stories comes from just a little earlier this winter, when a hiker suffered a cardiac arrest – only to be rescued thanks to six of his friends, and an unexpected find in a local phone box!

All six friends helped with the life-saving effort. One called 999, one gave CPR, several supervised, and one went up the path to try and find help. It was that decision that ultimately allowed the hiker to spend this coming Christmas (and future ones) with his friends and family.

“We had been working on him [the collapsed hiker] for 10 minutes and then our friend came back with a defibrillator,” school business manager Keith told The Mirror Online. “To find a machine there was the last thing we expected.”

One of the group had previously taken a lifesaver course, and they took the lead in hooking the machine up to their stricken friend. “It was brilliant,” said Keith. “The instructions were really clear, the machine just tells you what to do.”

“We put the pads on and gave him a jolt, and the machine talked to us about giving him CPR,” Keith continued. “After 10 minutes, he coughed, spluttered, vomited a bit, [then we] rolled him on his side to make sure he would not choke.”

Another ten minutes later the colour had come back to the hiker’s face, and he was handed over to the arriving ambulance crew “breathing and alive.”

The defibrillator had been located in an adapted telephone box – part of a collaboration between BT and defib charity the Community Heartbeat Trust.

According to Trust member Martin Fagan, people in rural areas are up to 30% less likely to survive a cardiac arrest. That makes regular maintenance of remote units even more important.

“They are medical devices,” he said. “They [defibrillators] are not just for Christmas –they are for life.”

Could your local area use a life-saving defibrillator?

Whether you’re considering it for yourself, your company, or members of your local neighbourhood are banding together, owning a defibrillator is more affordable than you might think.

The market-leading iPAD SP1 unit costs around £1,000, with a battery life of up to five years or 200 shocks. For those on a tighter budget, meanwhile, the iPAD SAVER is an even more affordable option.

Here at WEL Medical, we care deeply about heart health. That’s why we’re the UK’s supplier of the iPAD defibrillator range, along with the innovative Brayden range of light-up CPR training manikins, DefibSafe weather-proofed defibrillator cabinets, and much more besides.

You’ll also find extensive advice on our blog designed to help you choose the right defibrillator, look after your new defib, give CPR amidst the pandemic, and even keep your heart healthy in the cold winter weather.

For more on all of that, take a look at our stories below, or get in touch with us to get the right defibrillator for you.

From all of us here at WEL Medical, have a happy, healthy, safe, and very Merry Christmas![/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Related articles

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]