“I WOULDN’T BE HERE IF IT WASN’T FOR THE QUICK ACTIONS OF MY FAMILY” DAUGHTER SAVES DAD’S LIFE AFTER SUFFERING CARDIAC ARREST
A gardener from Prestatyn is indebted to his family after his daughter and son-in-law saved his life when he suffered a cardiac arrest.
Through their quick and lifesaving actions, Nia Roberts and her fiancé, Dan, saved 57-year-old Geoff’s life after falling unconscious last year.
As Restart a Heart Day approaches on 16th October, Nia, along with Save a Life Cymru, is now urging people across Wales to learn or refresh vital CPR and defibrillation skills after witnessing the incident firsthand.
Geoff, a self-employed gardener, lived a healthy life before the event. Nia said: “It was just a normal day after work. We decided to head over to my parents’ house for the evening; it was a lovely day, so we sat in the garden and enjoyed the early summer sunshine.
“All of a sudden, dad started to make a strange sound. We initially didn’t think much of it, thinking he was clearing his throat, but it quickly became apparent it was more serious than that. He collapsed and wasn’t breathing.
“Dan, my fiancée, knew straight away something was wrong. He got him on the floor, checked for breathing and started CPR when I called 999.
“I can’t remember much. It was a panicked moment. The 999 call-handler talked us through exactly what we needed to do and where the nearest defib was at Prestatyn Fire Station.”
Data shows that a person’s chances of surviving a cardiac arrest decrease by up to 10% for every minute that passes without resuscitation. As Nia rushed to get the defib, Dan continued to administer CPR for a total of 17 minutes whilst Geoff’s wife Liane and neighbour Cerri were on hand to support.
She continued: “I was in distress but knew I had to get the defib back to my dad as soon as possible; I knew every second counted. I was 12 weeks pregnant at the time. All I could think about was that my dad had to be here to meet my baby.
“I was also glad that Dan had CPR training so knew what to do in that moment. But even if you don’t have training, it’s important to just give it a go. It’s the difference between life and death.”
After one shock of the defibrillator, Geoff started breathing and regained consciousness. He was then rushed to Glan Clwyd Hospital where he stayed for 3-4 weeks while the medical team supported his recovery.
Geoff said: “Since my cardiac arrest, I’ve been able to continue to live an active lifestyle through my work as a gardener. I spend a lot of time outdoors and in the community, so it could have happened anywhere. I now have an ICD fitted [Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator], and I feel at ease knowing I can continue working and will be protected if it were to happen again.”
“I’m so grateful to Nia and to Dan. I wouldn’t be here without if it wasn’t for their quick actions. I’ve now lived to meet two new grandchildren, and see my daughter get engaged. I couldn’t imagine not being here for those moments.”
Approximately 6,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur in Wales every year. Save a Life Cymru is the programme to improve cardiac arrest survival rates in Wales, promoting CPR and defibrillation within communities. It is part of NHS Wales.
Dr Len Nokes, chairman of Save a Life Cymru, said:
“80% of cardiac arrests happen in the home, and the Roberts family’s quick response in Geoff’s case highlights the life-saving impact of immediate action. With survival rates in Wales still remaining critically low at less than 5%, I’m delighted to hear Geoff is recovering well and able to enjoy life.
“Our mission is to improve these survival rates, so I urge anyone to learn or refresh their CPR and defib skills for Restart a Heart during October. It only takes 15 minutes, and this crucial skill can help save lives.”
If a cardiac arrest happens, call 999. The call taker will tell you what to do, talk you through how to do CPR and direct you to the nearest registered defibrillator and they will also send an ambulance crew.
For more information and to access CPR and defib training, visit https://executive.nhs.wales/SALC.
If you have witnessed or performed CPR and need support, please visit https://www.resus.org.uk/support-after-ca.