Stories Of How Five Lives Around the World Were Saved Using CPR And A Defibrillator

Stories Of How Five Lives Around the World Were Saved Using CPR And A Defibrillator

If someone’s heart stops, quick-thinking and proper CPR plays a huge part in improving their chances survival. 

Here are five stories from around the world where ordinary people used their quick thinking and CPR knowledge to save someone's life.

Sydney, Australia

Mother Kristy Arnold took a CPR course which turned out to be a real lifesaver for her son Luca

When Kristy Arnold's one-year-old son Luca stopped breathing after choking on a biscuit, she had just seconds to act.

Springing into action, Ms Arnold used the skills learnt in a CPR course to save her little boy's life.

But only an estimated 50 per cent of parents have had the CPR training necessary to know how to act decisively in a life-threatening situation.

Emergency paediatric nurse Sarah Hunstead, whose CPR Kids training course saved Luca's life, suggests antenatal classes could possibly be the ideal forum for parents to learn basic lifesaving techniques.

"My dream is every parent who walks out of a hospital or a birth centre with a new baby will know how to resuscitate them," said Ms Hunstead, who has published a first-aid guide for common childhood emergencies called A Life. A Finger. A Pea Up A Nose.

Professor Fenton O'Leary, an emergency department physician at The Children's Hospital, Westmead, found "the main barriers to performing CPR were lack of knowledge and the fear of actually inflicting harm'' during a study of parents in the hospital's waiting room.

His research concluded "more public education is required to update those with previous training and to encourage those who haven't to be trained''.

"Knowledge often gives you confidence and ability. If you don't have that, and are worried about doing harm, you are more likely to be standing around and not do anything in those first critical minutes,'' he said.

Extra training for parents and even high school students would be a positive step, Dr O'Leary said.

Choking children is one of the most common emergencies at home while children with coins stuck in their airways were a common emergency room sight, she said.

CPR training gives pupils skills for life

Ms Arnold, who took her life saving class while 38 weeks pregnant, believes all parents should undertake the two and a half hours of training.

"Luca was blue in the face and he wasn't breathing. Three minutes down the road to the hospital is a long time when you aren't breathing,'' she said.

"I knew to do a backblow - which had to be quite hard - and in my eyes it saved a real emergency happening."

Minnesota, USA

A Day of Fun is Suddenly Disrupted

Matteson recalled the day of the accident. A day of fun and leisure was suddenly disrupted when Sarah’s brother suddenly jumped out of the water and yelled to his sister that Leah, her sister, was drowning. The kids were playing and relaxing in a pool at a South Dakota hotel.

Sarah recounted that the incident happened so fast – she didn’t have time to think – she just responded, using the CPR skills she had received from CPR training. Sarah admitted that the whole incident “It all happened so fast. . . was very scary!” She said that she thought her sister was dead because she was both purple and cold.

Sarah said she immediately began compressions, using the basic techniques that she had learned in school – holding the nose, then tilting the head and breathing. Thankfully, Leah survived the emergency as the result of Sarah’s efforts and the oxygen therapy she received at a nearby hospital. Leah said that she did not remember anything of the ordeal and never felt anything. She added, “It’s crazy that [that] much happened.”

Sarah Matteson acknowledges freak accidents can happen. She said, “I think everyone should know what they are doing.”

The Wiggles have confirmed their show to raise funds for the bushfire crisis will go ahead tonight, despite Yellow Wiggle Greg Page coming close to death last night.

Page was rushed to hospital after suffering cardiac arrest and falling to the ground as he left the stage at Castle Hill RSL.

Blue Wiggle Anthony Field spoke to 9 News of the "frightening" experience.

"He came off stage and collapsed, there was no pulse. There was no breathing," he said.

"Guys I think we're going to end it there. Greg's not feeling real well, I think he's going to be OK but he's not feeling real well so I don't think we can go on with another song," he said, looking shocked.

"He was in such a serious way last night," he said.

"He needed CPR, we had two of our cast and crew working on him. They used a defibrillator on him three times. He was in a bad way.

Mr Field said the band's drummer knew CPR and a nurse in the audience rushed to help, using a defibrillator to revive him.

"The really brought Greg back," Mr Field said.

"The ambulance took him here (to Westmead Hospital). I was so relieved that the blood was back in his face, he was talking, he was quite groggy. It was overwhelming relief."

Mr. Field said the performer had stopped breathing and had to be revived several times.

"Steve the drummer and Kim who works in our office did CPR, they saved his life," he said.

"I've got to tell you, if there's a lesson from that - it's great to have people learn CPR, it saved his life."

On social media, The Wiggles posted a picture of a smiling Page and said his main concern was that the show would go on. Mr Field said Greg was talking from his hospital bed and is "doing a lot better".

"We have visited Greg this morning and he wanted to thank everyone for their well wishes," the post reads.

"Greg and his family are so grateful for all the messages of love and support from fans around the world.

The group returned to the stage and performed an encore of "Hot Potato".

Following the collapse, the group posted on Twitter Page had suffered a cardiac arrest.

"As has been reported, our friend Greg Page suffered a cardiac arrest at the end of the bushfire relief performance and was taken to hospital," The Wiggles' wrote.

Coll, Scotland, UK

I have both received CPR and given it so feel not only indebted to a stranger who saved me but proud that I saved a life. I got taught how to do CPR at school but never thought I would ever have to use it. But one day back in 2008 whilst travelling home from university on the Underground, an elderly man collapsed and without thinking I began to give him CPR until paramedics arrived. Thankfully, the man survived and I was thanked for my actions. Unfortunately, last year I collapsed in the street and stopped breathing after a seizure. A passing member of the public performed CPR - I am eternally grateful as it no doubt saved my life. Coll, Scotland, UK

As someone who has held a first aid certificate since my mid-teens I feel that the advice that is given should be tempered by reality. The reality is that if someone suffers cardiac arrest or a heart attack, then the odds are immediately stacked against their survival. So get stuck in! But if it goes pear-shaped and the casualty dies, you should not feel guilty - it's not your fault. Steve, Cardiff, UK

I was at work one day and a colleague called out that someone had collapsed in the street. I rushed out of the office trying to call the emergency services whilst crossing the road. I couldn't get through and put the phone in my back pocket. Another colleague managed to get through to 999 and I was able to perform mouth-to-mouth and CPR. In the meantime the ambulance service were trying to call me on my mobile, but not wanting to stop CPR all I could hear whilst performing it was my BBC Dalek ring tone: "Exterminate, exterminate, exterminate!" Andrew Robson, Oxford, UK

Having been trained as a first aider I am familiar with the kiss of life and chest compressions. I have had to give mouth-to-mouth to a squash player who collapsed on an adjoining squash court. His heart had stopped and I managed to get it going again only for it to stop one final time. Despite all my efforts to restart his heart, he sadly passed away. Steve Stylianou, Stockport, UK

I had basic CPR training through work, and when my Dad had a heart attack I was able to do CPR with breaths. I kept going with help and advice from the ambulance service on the end of the 999 line as I couldn't remember the number of compressions to breaths. I kept going until the emergency services got there, and they took over and even did a cardio version, but sadly it was too late. I felt so empowered to have been in a position to do something and not panic. Charulata Raut, London, UK

Five years ago I resuscitated a man - Gary - who had had a cardiac arrest. He survived because he got immediate CPR (within 30 seconds of him collapsing) and thanks to the skills and equipment of the paramedics. Nick Fortune, Australia

I am a scuba diving instructor and have received some training in CPR although admittedly very basic. I had the unfortunate experience of having to perform CPR on a 20-something girl who had been found floating face down in the sea in Malaysia. After getting her out of the water two of us performed CPR - my friend doing compressions and me doing the breaths, after trying for several minutes we then took her to a nearby medical centre by boat (still trying to keep compressions and breaths going) but unfortunately shortly after she was pronounced dead. We both felt awful for a while and questioned what we could have done differently, but at least we tried. My point is nobody should be afraid of trying as you can hardly make the situation any worse. If you're lucky you may save a life. Barry Smith, Malaysia

My husband was found collapsed in his office, alone at work by a labourer on his building site. He wasn't breathing, had no heartbeat and was blue in the face. This man rang 999 and performed CPR with advice from the ambulance service for 23 minutes whilst they arrived. Whilst he spent some time on life support and months in neurology rehab for the brain injury from lack of oxygen, he has a relatively "normal" life and is at home with his family thanks to this man's willingness to have a go. Me and the four children will be eternally grateful to the man who gave him CPR and the staff that cared for him in the months that followed. Maxine Hayman, Bradford, West Yorkshire, UK

I have performed CPR on five different occasions and despite my best efforts have failed on each occasion. The paramedics who attended did say I did very well, but I still feel so incompetent and useless! I have trained and trained - maybe one day I will be able to help someone. Phil L, Australia

I had to perform CPR on my father, shortly after I gained my first aid at work certificate. I didn't hold his nose tight enough at my first attempt at mouth-to-mouth, so blew his nose! Messy. But I kept him alive until the ambulance arrived. I was exhausted by then. Chest compressions are hard work. Mouth-to-mouth is very intimate and I wouldn't want to do it on a manky stranger. Ian, Ilford, Essex