CPR saved my life

Imagine the fear of seeing a person collapse… and not knowing what to do. Noirin Duggan from Co Tipperary was just 18 years old when she collapsed suddenly.

Now 24, Noirin says she wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for bystander CPR . She said: “I collapsed just before an exam and I was out cold for 19 minutes.  My parents were told I would never wake-up.”

Noirin told us how she had been feeling unwell for a few weeks leading up to her exams, but her doctor thought it was a gastric problem. Surprisingly on the day of the exam, she felt okay—so she didn’t think twice about walking a large flight of stairs. But not long afterwards, she collapsed in the exam room.

Thankfully a college student immediately started CPR on Noirin, assisted by a second student who counted the compressions and called an ambulance. She said: “My heart stopped three times in the ambulance and each time the paramedics had to bring me back. If the girls had not performed CPR on me, there would have been no-one for the paramedics to save. I am living proof that bystander CPR works.”

At the end of February (2009), Diarmuid O’Connell, a 23-year-old teacher from Cork collapsed with sudden cardiac arrest while playing at an away football match. Fortunately, a fellow teacher and player Gerard O’Leary recognised the signs and immediately started performing CPR . Diarmuid said: “I don’t remember much about what happened. One minute I was playing football and the next I was waking up in hospital. I believe the reason I am alive today is thanks to CPR . I am delighted to support the Irish Heart Foundation initiative and I am living proof that bystander CPR saves lives.“

Gerard O’Leary who was trained by the Irish Heart Foundation as part of a CPR pilot programme in secondary schools last year (2008), told how he stepped in to save his team mate. He said: “It was about 10 minutes into the second half and at first I thought Diarmuid was winded when I saw him lying on the ground. When I heard him struggling to breathe, I knew it was serious. I started CPR and someone ran for a defibrillator. I gave him a shock and continued to give CPR for 15 minutes until the ambulance arrived. I should have been tired but the adrenalin was pumping. I’m just glad he’s alive.”

Every month in Ireland about 400 people suffer a cardiac arrest. On average, only four people survive.
At the Irish Heart Foundation, we want to turn transition year students into lifesavers… because with 27,500 more people equipped with CPR skills, we will save more lives every single year.

We plan to do this by giving every Transition Year student a self-instructional CPR kit which teaches the lifesaving skill in 25 minutes. They in turn will teach their families and help us reach our target to train 80,000 members of the public – the capacity of Croke Park – by the end of 2009.

You can help us save more lives like Noirin by making a donation , organising your own event or volunteering to shake a bucket.

We hope to hear from you.