Rugby mum Leanne steps in
A RUGBY club has praised parent Leanne Davies who was watching her son play U14 rugby when she was called on to help a man who collapsed at the side of the pitch.
A RUGBY club has praised a quick-thinking parent from an opposing team after a supporter collapsed on the side of the pitch.
Merthyr Tydfil RFC have praised the actions of off-duty NHS manager Leanne Davies after a team member’s father suddenly fell ill.
Ms Davies, of Mountain Ash, had been in Merthyr for her son’s Under 14s match on March 11 when the father of a home team player fell to the ground.
Together with the help of another man, the ward manager at Ysbyty Cwm Rhondda was able to stabilise and reassure the father until an ambulance arrived.
Justin Griffiths, chairman of the Merthyr RFC mini teams, said: “One of the fathers collapsed and had some sort of seizure. It was quite frightening as he had been suffering from ill health.
“Everyone came together to comfort him. Leanne was fantastic thanks to all her experience, being a nurse.
“One of the other men from the Under 14s team was also a medical professional and they both stayed with him until the ambulance arrived.”
Mr Griffiths added: “In the moment we didn’t get the lady’s name but in the end the game was played.
“I just dropped the Mountain Ash secretary an email to thank them as it was the right thing to do.”
Mother of-two Leanne Davies, 36, said: “I was just on the side lines and someone came over to say a child had collapsed. I could see a few people gathered at the top of the field and they asked if I could go up.
“I went up and saw a man on the floor - he had had a seizure.”
The former intensive care nurse added: “I just assisted and rang the ambulance a few times to keep them updated.
“It’s lovely to have the appreciation, as NHS staff you don’t get it often so it’s really nice.”
Mr Griffiths said the father has since been released from hospital.
He said: “We have all been friends for many years and a lot of the under 13s parents went to hospital to see him last week.”
Andrew Calderbank, manager of the Mountain Ash Under 14s team, added: “Leanne always offers to give her help as she is a former nurse at A&E.”