The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Cyclist thankful
Tributes to rangers who saved life
A cyclist who suffered a sudden cardiac arrest on a royal estate has offered heartfelt thanks to the rangers who saved his life.
Kenneth Cooper had been at the Spittal of Glen Muick on the Balmoral Estate, south-west of Ballater, when he suddenly collapsed outside the visitor centre last month.
After hearing cries for help from Mr Cooper’s friend, Cairngorms National Park volunteer rangers Keira Macfarland and Leo Hunt rushed to the cyclist’s aid, and found that both his heart and breathing had stopped.
Ms Hunt grabbed the nearby wall-mounted defibrillator, which had been installed at the visitor centre by the Sandpiper Trust charity, and worked with Ms Macfarland to administer CPR.
Balmoral staff called 999, and Mr Cooper was taken to Ninewells Hospital by the Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance (SCAA) helicopter.
Mr Cooper, who is now recovering, said his ordeal on July 14 displays the importance of bringing more defibrillators to Scotland’s remote regions.
He said: “I cannot ever properly express my gratitude to all concerned in my rescue.
“Although I can’t remember anything about it, I know it was an incredible effort by the whole team, especially Keira and Leo.
“They used their training to great effort. What clearthinking young people.
“I am also indebted to the Sandpiper Trust for installing the defibrillator, the national park for training their people and the Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance for a fantastically quick response and for taking me to Ninewells Hospital, where their superb cardiology unit put me back together.
“My experience really does show the need for more defibrillators in remote areas and training for people on the ground.”
Ms Macfarland said: “It was a real team effort, and that extends to all those generous people who support the two charities that provided the essential equipment we had access to. This is fantastic tribute to the work of the Sandpiper Trust who had the vision to place an automated external defibrillator (AED) in such a remote location – and I cannot describe the feeling of relief on hearing the arrival of Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance.
“These two local charities really do save lives,” added Mr Cooper.
To find out more about learning life-saving CPR, visit the Sandpiper Trust on www.sandpipertrust.org.
For more on SCAA and its fundraising for a second helicopter, visit www.scaa. org.uk.
“I cannot ever properly express my gratitude to all concerned’