Stories
Life as a Young Cardiology Patient
I am a 34 year old mother of one, who by all accounts had a very normal life and had no known health issues. 2016 opened our eyes to one of the most significant causes of death in Australia, Sudden Cardiac Arrest. What was worse for me was idiopathic SCA- no known cause. This is my story of this year of hell, despair and terror but also the realisation of the love of family, friends, colleagues, medical professionals and people who had never crossed paths with me before.
I write this as therapy for me but also to share what is the reality for approximately 33,000 Aussies a year. I was just one of the 5% of the 33,000 who survived.
Read more at - lifeincardiology.weebly.com
Back in a Heart Beat Event - October 2016
Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness - Federation Square, Melbourne
Back In A Heart Beat © by Urban Lifesavers Ltd
Sponsored by Defib First
Heartfelt mission to save lives
Local Heroes: Meet Urban Lifesavers Founder Anne Holland
When Brighton resident Anne Holland’s husband Paul died of cardiac arrest in 2008, Anne and their five children were devastated – especially since his death could have been prevented with the use of an automated external defibrillator.
It was then that Anne looked around and realised how frighteningly scarce defibrillators are in the community, despite 33,000 Australians dying of cardiac arrest each year. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, that’s more than the number of deaths caused by road accidents, fires, breast cancer, bowel cancer, prostate cancer and skin cancer combined.
“They are out there, but there are too few of them,” Anne says of external defibrillators. “The other major problems are that people don’t know what they are, where to find them, that it’s time-critical that they use them, or what to do with them.”
Turning her pain into action, Anne, an experienced nurse, became an author, speaker, first-aid trainer and then founded non-profit Urban Lifesavers last year.
“I’m doing this firstly in memory of my husband, and secondly as a critical-care nurse,” she says.
Urban Lifesavers has two main goals: firstly, Anne wants to educate the community about defibrillators. She wants us to know, for example, that a cardiac arrest victim’s chances of survival go from less than five per cent to about 80 per cent if a defibrillator is used within the first five minutes, and that they can’t be used incorrectly because the machine will only administer a shock if a fatal heart rhythm is detected.
Secondly, she wants to see defibrillators included in first-aid kits in businesses and public places. It’s now compulsory to conduct defibrillator training as part of first-aid courses but this is pointless if the public doesn’t have access to the machines. “We want them to be as common as fire extinguishers,” says Anne.
Anne has poured $40,000 of her own money into the campaign, dramatically impacting her own financial situation and quality of life.
“Building this campaign has put me into a negative cash flow, but I am passionate about it and determined to make a difference,” she says. “There’s the potential to save 10,000-20,000 lives a year in this country.”
Defib First and Anne Holland featured on the Mark Bouris Show
Mark Bouris recently interviewed Anne Holland on his show and discussed Anne's book - "Back in a Heartbeat".
The Huffington Post - Anne Holland Campaigns for Defibrillators
Anne Holland was recently featured on the Huffington Post Australia website with an article outlining her campaign to have Defibrillators to be as common as fire extinguishers:
Melbourne nurse Anne Holland and her five children were left devastated when her husband Paul died at the age of 56 of a sudden cardiac arrest at their home.
“He was fit and healthy and had just returned from his regular two hour Sunday bike ride,” Holland said.
Paul had gone upstairs after his bike ride and that’s where he tragically died -- it was 45 minutes before the family discovered him. In the years following her beloved husband's death, Holland has devoted her life to educating people about the importance of Automated External Defibrillators (AED) and campaigning to ensure every school and office has one.
“It was Paul’s death and my professional background in critical and coronary care that ignited the passion in me to make a difference. I initially started my business Defib First to raise awareness and educate about saving lives with AEDs but it became apparent that there was a need to supply the devices as well.”
View the full article on the Huffington Post website or download a pdf of the article here.
Minutes matter to save a life
A team of urban lifesavers rescued Jason Cripps
View Jason's story on the following link: Jason Cripps story of survival
Jason Cripps recently shared his amazing story of survival from a sudden cardiac arrest in a Nine News presentation by Jo Hall. Jason's life was saved, while he was out for a jog in Perth in June 2015, by a team of colleagues and bystanders. The team of urban lifesavers that revived him allowed him to return home to his wife and children. Defib First welcomes and thanks the support of Jason and his family and Jo Hall for getting behind this important cause and encouraging people in our community to become #urbanlifesavers.
To support our Urban Lifesavers, as a community we need to make AEDs as common place as fire extinguishers and smoke alarms. More importantly, we need to give bystanders the confidence to use them. Ordinary people can take extraordinary action to save a life. Know how to use an #AED and send someone home totheir family.
Call for more public heart starters
Also in the Northern Territory News - campaign is gaining momentum
Call for more public heart starters
Another great article on AAP September 25, 2015 highlighting the importance of public access defibrillators and saving the lives of victims of cardiac arrest.
Defib First’s mission to prevent deaths from sudden cardiac arrest
Another great article featuring Defib First by Jon Andrews in Melbourne's Bayside Leader to promote the importance of bystanders saving lives by applying a defibrillator during a cardiac arrest.
Critical care nurse fights to save lives with AEDs
Journalist Karen Keast's article in the Health Times on 18 August 2015 highlights the national awareness campaign for widespread accessibility to Automated External Defibrillators
A Life Saved!
Defib for Life: Posted on Sun, March 24, 2013
PREM Sebastian remembers walking towards the net during his weekly competition tennis match before collapsing and waking up in the hospital with a stent in his heart.
The 41-year-old has since been told that, following his cardiac arrest at Essendon Tennis Club on February 7 2013, early defibrillation and CPR saved his life.
Continue Reading: http://www.defibforlife.org.au/a-life-saved
21 yr old collapses at home in Cardiac Arrest - Saved by his brother
Hume Leader, December 23, 2013
On Wednesday December 4, 2013, 21 year old Damien suffered a sudden cardiac arrest at home. His 15 yr old brother happened to be home from school due to a headache. He phoned 000 and the operator guided him to perform CPR over the phone until paramedics arrived with a defibrillator & revived the young man.
Continue Reading: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/north/roxburgh-park-teen-saves-brothers-life-after-staying-home-from-school/story-fnglenug-1226787343132
Chain of life support at a Cheltenham industrial park saves new mother Samantha Jobe after her heart stops
Bridgid O'Connell, Herald Sun, June 24, 2014
A HUMAN chain of life support across a Cheltenham industrial park, linked by three emergency service units and a hospital ward, has saved new mum Samantha Jobe.
She was about to start warming up for her workout at Crossfit121, with husband Damien and eight-week-old daughter Makayla looking on, when she collapsed.
Woman revived in St Arnaud
Source: Ambulance Victoria News 4 Dec 2013
A St Arnaud woman who collapsed on a basketball court is alive thanks to the teamwork of bystanders and paramedics.
Jenny Gifford, 51, collapsed and went into cardiac arrest about 7.30pm on 14 October.
Continue Reading: http://www.ambulance.vic.gov.au/About-Us/Media-Centre/News/20131204-Woman-revived-in-St-Arnaud.html
Cricketer tells of brush with death
Henrietta Cook, The Age, March 8, 2012
The only sign of Jarrod Brown's brush with death is a dark blue bruise on his chest, just over his heart.
Continue Reading: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/cricketer-tells-of-brush-with-death-20120308-1umn8.html
Shocked shoppers save young woman
The Age, March 6, 2012
Cardiac arrest 'can happen to anyone'
Following a young woman suffering cardiac arrest on Chapel St Monday evening, but luckily surviving, paramedics remind the public that all ages are at risk. Paramedics have praised the efforts of a group of quick-thinking shoppers who revived a young woman who went into cardiac arrest on one of Melbourne's busiest shopping strips last night.
Continue Reading: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/shocked-shoppers-save-young-woman-20120306-1uewj.html
A simple way to help arrest risk
Reporter Alex Sampson, Geelong Advertiser 24 September 2011
ST JOHN Ambulance Victoria has called on Victorian football clubs to act now to save lives, following a recent spate of cardiac arrests at local matches. Sports Medicine Australia has also called for the mandatory placement of defibrillators in all sporting clubs in the wake of the tragic death of Bacchus Marsh football player Nathan Prince two weeks ago.
St John Ambulance Victoria deputy CEO, Theron Vassiliou, said St John would again be supporting clubs as the summer sports season rolls around, acting as an interim solution while clubs raise funds for life-saving defibrillators, which can cost $3000-$4000.
Continue Reading: http://www.stjohnvic.com.au/media-2011-defibrillators.asp
Geelong Team Doctor survives Cardiac Arrest
In July 2010, the Geelong football team doctor, Geoff Allen, aged 49, suffered a cardiac arrest on the field during an AFL game at AAMI stadium in Adelaide. He was defibrillated on the ground within 3 minutes and survived, waving to the crowd as he was carried from the field.
Continue Reading: http://www.stjohnvic.com.au/pdfs/media/240911_GeelongAdvertiser1.pdf
