When Mike Williams from Port Talbot attended a First Aid at Work refresher course with Gareth Parsons last October, he didn’t know that the skills he learnt there would help him save someone’s life just two months later.
Mike, who now lives in Caerphilly, was on duty as a Security Officer in Cardiff on 6th December 2022 when he had a phone call about a medical emergency nearby. Along with some of his colleagues, Mike quickly grabbed the defibrillator at reception and made his way to the scene. On arrival, Mike and his colleagues discovered a male lying face down on the floor.
They rolled the patient onto his back and did the initial checks. They quickly discovered that the patient was unresponsive, correctly assuming he had gone into cardiac arrest. Mike and his colleagues started CPR immediately and promptly connected the patient to a defibrillator.
“After numerous rounds of chest compressions and at least three shocks from the defibrillator, he began to start breathing again.” Mike recalls.
Shortly after the patient had been resuscitated, paramedics arrived at the scene and took over. The patient was rushed to hospital and received surgery on his heart. He is now safely recovering at home. Mike says;
“I would like to thank St John Ambulance Cymru and Gareth Parsons for the training I received, which enabled me to help to successfully save the life of someone who suffered a cardiac arrest.”
“I feel immensely proud of myself.”
Mike says “first aid and defibrillator training is so important; the more confident people are to help others, the better.” It’s reported that a patient’s survival chances are reduced by 10% for every passing minute without action following a cardiac arrest. The quicker you act, the more chance you have to save a life.
Gareth Parsons, Mike’s trainer, commented;
"Although I have been a First Aid at Work trainer for nearly 30 years, and have probably trained up to 50,000 people in first aid for adults and children, it is always heart-warming to learn of those skills being put into practice when helping to save a life in the community.”
“Well done to Mike and his team of helpers. Its absolutely brilliant, I am so proud of you all".
St John Ambulance Cymru’s Defibruary campaign aims to teach as many people as possible the vital CPR and defibrillator knowledge needed to save a life. The campaign which is running throughout February is also encouraging communities in Wales to locate and register their nearest defibrillator using The Circuit. This is so communities can easily identify their nearest defibrillator in an emergency.
Sign up to one of St John Ambulance Cymru’s training courses at www.sjacymru.org.uk/en/page/training so you too can be confident in using a defibrillator, or donate here to support St John Ambulance Cymru’s lifesaving work in communities across Wales.
Visit www.thecircuit.uk to locate and register your nearest defibrillator today.
Gŵr o Gaerdydd yn cael ei adfywio gan CPR a defnydd cynnar diffibriliwr
Pan fynychodd Mike Williams o Bort Talbot gwrs gloywi Cymorth Cyntaf yn y Gwaith gyda Gareth Parsons fis Hydref diwethaf, nid oedd yn gwybod y byddai’r sgiliau a ddysgodd yno yn ei helpu i achub bywyd rhywun ddeufis yn ddiweddarach.
Roedd Mike, sydd bellach yn byw yng Nghaerffili, ar ddyletswydd fel Swyddog Diogelwch yng Nghaerdyddar 6 Rhagfyr 2022 pan gafodd alwad ffôn am argyfwng meddygol gerllaw. Ynghyd ag rhai o'i gydweithwyr, cydiodd Mike yn gyflym yn y diffibriliwr yn y dderbynfa a gwneud ei ffordd i'r lleoliad. Ar ôl cyrraedd, darganfu Mike a'i gydweithiwr ddyn yn gorwedd wyneb i lawr ar y llawr.
Rholion nhw y claf ar ei gefn a gwneud y gwiriadau cychwynnol. Fe wnaethon nhw ddarganfod yn gyflym nad oedd y claf yn ymateb, gan dybio'n gywir ei fod wedi mynd i ataliad ar y galon. Dechreuodd Mike a'i gydweithiwr CPR ar unwaith gan gysylltu'r claf â diffibriliwr yn brydlon.
Meddai Mike, “Ar ôl sawl rownd o gywasgiadau ar ei frest ac o leiaf tair sioc o’r diffibriliwr, dechreuodd anadlu eto.”
Yn fuan ar ôl i'r claf gael ei ddadebru, cyrhaeddodd parafeddygon y lleoliad a chymryd yr awenau. Rhuthrwyd y claf i'r ysbyty a derbyniodd lawdriniaeth ar ei galon. Mae bellach yn gwella'n ddiogel gartref.
“Hoffwn ddweud diolch i St John Ambulance Cymru a Gareth Parsons am yr hyfforddiant a gefais, a alluogodd i mi helpu i achub bywyd rhywun a ddioddefodd ataliad y galon.” meddai Mike. “Rwy’n teimlo’n hynod falch ohonof fy hun.”
Meddai Mike “mae hyfforddiant cymorth cyntaf a diffibriliwr mor bwysig; po fwyaf hyderus sydd gan bobl i helpu eraill, gorau oll.”
Dywedir bod siawns claf o oroesi yn cael ei leihau 10% am bob munud sy'n mynd heibio heb weithredu yn dilyn ataliad ar y galon. Po gyflymaf y byddwch yn gweithredu, y mwyaf o siawns sydd gennych i achub bywyd.
Dywedodd Gareth Parsons, hyfforddwr Mike;
“Er fy mod wedi bod yn hyfforddwr Cymorth Cyntaf yn y Gwaith ers bron i 30 mlynedd, ac yn ôl pob tebyg wedi hyfforddi hyd at 50,000 o bobl mewn cymorth cyntaf i oedolion a phlant, mae bob amser yn galonogol dysgu am y sgiliau hynny sy’n cael eu rhoi ar waith wrth helpu i wneud i achub bywyd yn y gymuned.”
“Da iawn i Mike a’i dîm o gynorthwywyr. Mae'n hollol wych, rydw i mor falch ohonoch chi i gyd."
Nod ymgyrch Diffibriliwr St John Ambulance Cymru yw dysgu cymaint o bobl â phosibl y wybodaeth CPR a diffibriliwr hanfodol sydd eu hangen i achub bywyd. Mae’r ymgyrch sy’n rhedeg drwy gydol mis Chwefror hefyd yn annog cymunedau yng Nghymru i leoli a chofrestru eu diffibriliwr agosaf gan ddefnyddio The Circuit. Mae hyn er mwyn i gymunedau allu adnabod eu diffibriliwr agosaf yn hawdd mewn argyfwng.
Cofrestrwch ar gyfer un o gyrsiau hyfforddi St John Ambulance Cymru yn www.sjacymru.org.uk/cy/page/training fel y gallwch chithau hefyd fod yn hyderus wrth ddefnyddio diffibriliwr, neu gyfrannu yma i gefnogi gwaith achub bywyd St John Ambulance Cymru mewn cymunedau ar draws Cymru.
Ewch i www.thecircuit.uk i ddod o hyd i'ch diffibriliwr agosaf a'i gofrestru heddiw.