The incredible 100% life saving record has been achieved using Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) which saved the lives of the three men.
In the most recent case, Roy D’Brionne-Edwardes, 70 from Coventry, was enjoying a shopping trip with his wife Gian at Touchwood Shopping Centre on 14th August when he suddenly collapsed.
A quick thinking manager, Linda Jones, from BBs Coffee & Muffins, sprang into action and immediately called 999 and started Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) before three Guest Safety Hosts from the shopping centre arrived with an AED.
Guest Safety Host, Darren Toon, applied the electrode pads of the AED to Roy’s chest and followed the audio instructions given out by the device. The AED recognised that he was indeed in cardiac arrest and delivered an electrical impulse that stabilised the rhythm of Roy’s heartbeat before ambulance crews arrived to continue vital emergency treatment. Crews then transferred Roy to Solihull Hospital for further assessment and treatment. After almost four weeks in hospital, Roy was discharged home and is continuing to make a good recovery.
Tania Stowe, General Manager at Touchwood Shopping Centre said: “The AEDs, made by Cardiac Sciences, were introduced to Touchwood Shopping Centre in 2006. With the help of funding by the British Heart Foundation and training provided by West Midlands Ambulance Service, 25 of our staff are now able to use the life saving equipment and are trained to carry out effective CPR. We take the safety of our guests very seriously and are incredibly proud that our staff have been able to play a part in saving the lives of the three gentlemen who we’re welcoming back to the centre on Monday.”
Emma Wilkins, Community Response Manager for the Birmingham and the Black Country Locality of West Midlands Ambulance Service said: “Roy is the third person to suffer a cardiac arrest and be successfully defibrillated at Touchwood since the life saving equipment from Cardiac Science was introduced in 2006. This is fantastic news and clearly demonstrates that the quicker someone can commence CPR and defibrillate a patient in cardiac arrest the greater the chance of survival.”
Shaun Ingram, UK Sales Director at Cardiac Science added: “It is absolutely fantastic that the Touchwood staff were able to save Roy’s life using one of our devices, but this is not an isolated incident. In the UK alone, figures show that approximately 200 people per day suffer a Sudden Cardiac Arrest and it has been proven that early defibrillation with an AED can increase survival chances by as much as 50%. AEDs need to become as common as fire extinguishers in all public places and work environments. They really are the difference between life and death in many cases.”
Roy will be returning to the shopping centre on Monday 10th November to be reunited with the people who assisted him in his hour of need. He will also be joined by Patrick Fallon from Worcestershire and Ronald Hawkins from Birmingham, the two other gentlemen whose lives were saved at Touchwood in 2007 and 2006 respectively.