Case Study: Simon - "It took a team to save my life"

Simon was 53 and helping coach his son’s U17 football team. As it was the festive season,  the lads wanted a fun game with the coaches joining . Whilst playing, Simon felt a little dizzy and couldn’t catch his breath. He put his hands on his knees and that was it...

He now knows that he collapsed - having suffered a Sudden Cardiac Arrest - falling on his knees and then flat on his face. Simon’s son, Ethan, first raised the alarm. Paul Geddes and Stu Procter, the other two coaches, acted immediately and started CPR straight away. Jess, a volunteer, managed to clear everyone from the area and a parent, Derek, called 999 - an ambulance arrived in eight minutes – the paramedics, Kev, Jack, Nicola and Alex, took over and shocked Simon four times, to restart his heart.

Simon was exceptionally lucky that day, as both Paul and Stu were first aid trained, and they were supported by Kerri, the fantastic emergency operator who talked them through what to do.

Simon was taken to Northumbria Emergency Hospital, where he stayed for ten days. He was discharged on Christmas Eve with a brand-new Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD) - a small device to treat abnormal heart rhythms, which shocks the heart back into rhythm to help prevent future cardiac arrests.

Simon said: “It was the best Christmas present I ever received. In January, we organised a big thank you event for everyone who helped me to survive and recover.”

While Simon was in hospital, he was contacted by Christine Stephenson and Kelly Best who run North East Hearts with Goals, a local charity that places defibrillators and raises awareness of CPR, as well as supporting at risk local families through their Heart Safe Campaign.

Simon said: “They have been incredibly supportive to me, after suffering their own tragedy, when Kelly's husband and Christine's brother Neil died of a Sudden Cardiac Arrest in 2003 at the age of 32. Their defibrillators have now saved 30 lives in the North East.”

Simon has also received support through the Freeman Hospital and North Tyneside General, where he received a diagnosis of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. Through research Simon became aware of Sudden Cardiac Arrest UK (SCA UK) and the support they offer to Sudden Cardiac Arrest survivors.

Simon has also received support through the Freeman Hospital and North Tyneside General, where he received a diagnosis of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. Through research Simon became aware of Sudden Cardiac Arrest UK (SCA UK) and the support they offer to Sudden Cardiac Arrest survivors.

Simon concluded: “There’s always the thought in the back of your mind that it may happen again – and through SCA UK, I was able to meet lots of other survivors – all with different stories and experiences. With the support and resources available from Paul Swindell and the team it feels like there is always someone who understands and is able to help.

“I am the lucky one in eight who survived a Sudden Cardiac Arrest. CPR isn’t difficult to learn and using a defibrillator is so easy – it tells you what to do! I urge everyone to do CPR training and defibrillator awareness – it might just help to save someone else’s life.”