A nurse’s mission to help cardiac arrest victims

Sue Benson a nurse and midwife from Liverpool has witnessed a lot in her 41 year career in the NHS.

Now a senior clinical call adviser for NHS 111 providing advice to patients ensuring they get the most appropriate care, it is not hard to see why caring for people is Sue’s passion.

It was only when Sue joined NHS 111 working alongside 999 ambulance colleagues that she grew more aware of how often people collapsed in the street or at home. What shocked her more is how many times she encountered the sad news that the patient didn’t make it, whether it was an adult or child.

“For someone in cardiac arrest they will die within minutes unless treated immediately with cardiopulmonary resuscitation and a life-saving defibrillator.

“The chances of survival from cardiac arrest diminish rapidly with every passing second so the sooner someone can receive treatment, the greater their chances are of leading a full and healthy life afterwards.

“I was motivated to take action in my local area after a former colleague and friend posted on Facebook last year that he had raised enough money for a second defibrillator for his local community. This made me think I need to do this as if I don’t start, who will?”

For the last 11 months Sue has been leading a group in her local community in Orrell Park - The Defibrillator Fundraising Group Walton Vale and Moss Lane - to fundraise for life saving defibrillators. They have had support from local councillors, GP surgeries, churches, pharmacists, solicitors and local shops.

“Our aim was to raise £5,500 towards buying at least three life-saving defibrillators and since joining we have smashed this goal and have raised over £7,000. We have raised enough funds to purchase three public access defibrillators with cabinets with support from the Vital Signs Foundation, a local councillor, a local pub and the Oliver King Foundation a Charity based in Liverpool.

“Obviously coronavirus has slowed our progress but it never stopped us.

“We have also been able to purchase a further two cabinets and one of our local GP surgeries, Aintree Park Group Practice, is providing the defibrillators for these. So in all, our community will benefit from five pieces of life-saving kit – of which have saved lives already.

“I’ve met some wonderful people on this journey who have survived because of a defibrillator and they are keen to lend their support to what we’re doing. One of these wonderful survivors, Robbie Eaves has joined our group with his daughter Katie and together we have plans to keep the fundraising going in the future.”