Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
It was just an ordinary day at the gym...then I had a cardiac arrest and woke 48hrs later
Joanna tells how staff CPR saved her
IT was just like any other day when Joanna Ireland headed to the leisure centre for her regular fitness class.
But in the middle of the aerobics routine, the 57-year-old started to stumble over her steps and minutes later collapsed on the floor.
The next thing she remembers is waking up in hospital two days later.
Joanna, from Glengormley, Co Antrim, had suffered a cardiac arrest and her heart stopped in the middle of the class.
Thanks to the swift action of staff at Sixmile Leisure Centre who kept her heart beating by performing CPR and defibrillation until the ambulance arrived Joanna is here today.
This week she met with the quickthinking workers in Ballyclare who saved her life to say thank you and raise awareness for the British Heart Foundation.
The mum of three said: “Tuesday 20 February was just an ordinary day. I have exercised regularly for years and attended the class in Sixmile Leisure Centre twice a week. I felt fine at the start and one of the other ladies told me I wasn’t following the routine properly after she saw me stumble a few times but I had no idea what was ahead of me.
“One minute I was taking part and the next I remember was two days later in hospital. I had suffered a cardiac arrest and my heart had stopped.
“Unbeknownst to me after I collapsed the centre staff took quick action and realising I was essentially dead on their floor they started CPR and defibrillation
CO ANTRIM YESTERDAY
while also evacuating the centre. They kept my heart beating until the ambulance arrived and took me to hospital.
“I was later diagnosed with apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a genetic heart condition I didn’t know I had.”
Joanna said without the bravery and professionalism of Alex Deaney,
Tim Ayre, Lee Irvine, Isaiah
Close and Janelle Close – the five staff members who gave her a second chance at life – she would not be here today.
She added: “I don’t think there are really the words to say how grateful I am to Alex, Tim, Lee, Isaiah and Janelle. “They saved my life there’s no doubt about it. You never think a cardiac arrest is going to happen to you but it did and they gave me a second chance at life.” And Joanna and her husband David have made a donation to British Heart Foundation Northern Ireland.
She said: “You can’t put a price on life but I wanted to make the donation to recognise what the staff did for me and to help fund research to stop it happening to other people.”
BHFNI spokeswoman Jayne Murray said: “We are hugely grateful for Joanna’s generous donation.
“We need everyone in to learn this life-saving skill. It could mean the difference between life and death.”