Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
‘A defibrillator saved my life – it could save yours
When Andrew suffered a cardiac arrest, his best friend’s quick thinking helped prevent a tragedy
It started out like any ordinary Saturday, but 28 August 2021 became one of the most important days of Andrew Niven’s life.
Andrew, 68, and his wife Gillian, from Falkirk, had been to the football before heading to a local bar to meet friends Jim McLelland and his wife, also Gillian.
Suddenly Andrew collapsed: his heart had stopped. Realising it was serious, Jim immediately called 999 and began CPR.
Luckily there was a defibrillator on the wall outside. Connecting the pads to Andrew’s chest, Jim followed the automated instructions for the device… and Andrew’s heart began beating again.
Paramedics then arrived and took Andrew to hospital – but it was Jim’s quick thinking, and the presence of a defibrillator, that helped ensure Andrew survived.
He was lucky. Coronary heart disease is Scotland’s single biggest killer, with heart and circulatory diseases causing nearly 50 deaths every day. That’s why communities and workplaces are being urged to install defibrillators.
Early CPR and using a defib can more than double your chance of survival. That means the extra minutes saved by having a device nearby could spell the difference between life and death.
Buying a defibrillator is easy via British Heart Foundation – it stocks a wide range and offers a wealth of useful information.
Andrew is a now a passionate advocate for community defibrillators. He says: “Don’t be frightened to use one. If you need it, just take it off the wall and you’ll be told what to do.”
He adds, “If it wasn’t for Jim, I might not be here now. He was already a good friend, but now there is a special bond.”
As for the defib that saved Andrew’s life, whenever he passes it outside the wine bar, he gives it a lucky tap.