We’ve had a lot of successes over the years. In fact, each of the 22,000+ defibrillators we’ve sold in the UK since 2003 counts as a major success in our eyes. Why? Because every defibrillator we place in the wild provides an opportunity to save a life, signals that an employer takes the health and safety of their staff seriously, and helps make more and more parts of the UK heart safe.
Yet the successes that stay with us longest are the personal stories we hear about. Nothing makes our team happier than finding out someone has reached for an AED that we’ve supplied, with the confidence our training has provided, and used it to successfully save someone’s life. Over the years we’ve heard a great many of these inspiring stories, and here are five that show you exactly why a defibrillator is the difference between life and death when a cardiac arrest occurs.
Leigh and Lowton Sailing Club
When Iron Man competitor Kenny Riley started struggling in the water, local safety patrol members Matthew and Connor O’Donnell knew what to do. And whilst they performed CPR, another swimmer retrieved their Physio-Control LIFEPAK CR Plus defibrillators from the clubhouse. Using the device to shock Kenny’s heart three times, they were able to regain a regular heartbeat, and Kenny was alive when the paramedics arrived.
Saving the Referee
When match official Steve Smith suffered a sudden cardiac arrest at an under-10s football match in our local area of Cadishead, parents and managers rushed to his aid. Thankfully, they had access to a defibrillator that had been donated to the club by defibshop as part of our campaign to keep local children heart safe. Doctors who treated him later at the hospital said that without the quick thinking of the parents and their ability to access a defibrillator, Steve wouldn’t have made it.
Revived at a Funeral
Chanterlands Crematorium had only received their defibrillator from us two weeks before they needed to use it. When a man collapsed minutes after delivering his father’s eulogy, quick thinking first aiders rushed to help, and Richard, the manager, used the defibrillator to diagnose and deliver two life-saving shocks that meant the man’s young children, who had just lost a grandad, wouldn’t have to lose their own father too. Richard later praised the training he received from Defibshop for giving him the confidence to use it quickly and effectively when it was needed most.
Dental Near-Death Survival
When his patient became unresponsive during her regular check-up, dentist Paul White was able to combine CPR with shocks from his defibshop defibrillator to save her life. He puts his quick thinking down to the first aid training he had received from our expert team.
Saving an 8-year old girl in St. Ives.
A young family were enjoying a day out in the beautiful Cornish town when their young daughter collapsed with no prior warning. Thankfully, a defibrillator we’d supplied through a charity was located only a minute away in a local pub, and her rescuers were able to shock her back to a stable condition before paramedics arrived to take over.
Cardiac arrests can happen to anyone, despite their age, appearance and gender – at any time, and in any place. Knowing that these people have survived thanks to our AEDs, and our training, means a lot to us.
defibshop are committed to equipping everyone with the skills and knowledge to save a life. Speak to one of our Product Specialists on 0161 776 7422 or fill out our Contact Form.
