Marion's Chain of Survival
One evening in December 2023, Marion, age 77, from East Cambridgeshire, was at home watching television when she told her husband, Andrew, that she was feeling unwell. A short time later, she suffered a cardiac arrest. In a life-threatening situation and when every second counted, Marion’s survival depended on her husband and their neighbour Dave, who had learned emergency first aid skills – including CPR – as a farm manager but had recently refreshed them with East Anglian Air Ambulance (EAAA).
Cardiac arrests account for a quarter of the medical emergencies to which EAAA are tasked. Starting the chain of survival as soon as possible by performing CPR and using a defibrillator, before the arrival of the emergency services, can improve the chances of survival from around 10% to between 40%–70%. That’s why EAAA offers free life-saving defibrillator and CPR training sessions to the community – and that’s what Dave, Marion’s neighbour, had attended just twelve weeks earlier. Never did he think he would need to call on this knowledge so soon.
“As a farm manager, I had previously completed emergency first aid training, including CPR. Then, three months before Marion’s heart attack, through my choir, I attended a CPR and defibrillator training session, which was delivered by an East Anglian Air Ambulance trainer, Roy. I was part of a group of around 15 people. It was really useful as a refresher, and I learned new things, such as how chest compressions help to keep blood flow to the brain.”
On the evening of 14 December, Marion’s husband, Andrew, knocked on Dave’s door and asked for help. He had called 999 as Marion, on feeling unwell, had gone to bed to rest but soon began to feel worse. At around 8:40pm, she said to Andrew that she thought she might be having a heart attack.
A heart attack can lead to a cardiac arrest, a problem with the heart’s electrical pulse, which is a life-threatening medical emergency. Recognising this as a possibility, the 999-call handler asked Andrew if somebody could fetch the nearest community defibrillator. Dave rushed to collect one; it was just 150 yards away from Andrew and Marion’s home. By 9:10pm, Marion became worse, though she was still conscious and breathing, but Andrew and Dave put the defibrillator pads onto her in case she deteriorated further and went into cardiac arrest.
This is exactly what happened just moments later.
Marion went rapidly downhill; she was rigid and unconscious. It became really serious.
— Marion's husband, Andrew.
“Marion went rapidly downhill; she was rigid and unconscious. It became really serious,” Andrew explains.
With Dave calling upon the knowledge he had learned from his recent EAAA CPR training session, he and Andrew quickly moved Marion to the floor, as Andrew, who had also previously attended a separate EAAA CPR training session alongside Marion, recalled that a hard surface was needed to perform effective compressions. While Andrew remained on the telephone to the 999-call handler, Dave commenced chest compressions and followed the instructions given by the defibrillator, which delivered three shocks to Marion.
“Then she began breathing on her own again,” Dave says.
A land ambulance arrived, shortly followed by EAAA’s Anglia Two (Cambridge) crew of Doctor Claire and Critical Care Paramedic (CCP) Josh by critical care car.
“I felt safe then,” Andrew says.
Dr Claire and CCP Josh worked with the team from the ambulance service to stabilise Marion. They also administered advanced pain relief, medication which is over and above what the ambulance service carries.
“It amazed me,” Dave says. “It was such a smooth handover; the EAAA crew knew exactly what they were doing and had divided responsibilities. They just took over and it all felt very calm.”
Dr Claire accompanied Marion by land ambulance to Papworth Hospital, where she had immediate scans followed by surgery to fit a stent. She then spent six days in hospital before continuing her recovery at home, including a quiet Christmas with Andrew. She has little recollection of the incident, other than coming round in the back of the ambulance and arriving at hospital.
“I was unlucky to have a cardiac arrest, but I had lots of luck in having such a good neighbour,” Marion says. “Everyone should do CPR training. I wouldn’t have survived otherwise. It feels odd to have come that close to dying.”
Andrew adds, “Keeping on top of the latest recommendations is also important, so regular CPR training top-ups are good. While a defibrillator tells you what to do, there’s also nothing like having had some practice in CPR.”
Dave says, “EAAA’s training was really valuable. I am so pleased I was able to help Marion and Andrew, and that the outcome was good. This is what can happen when a community comes together.”
“EAAA’s training was really valuable. I am so pleased I was able to help Marion and Andrew, and that the outcome was good. This is what can happen when a community comes together.”
Marion’s neighbour, Dave.
