Edwina is a keen football fan and a proud Evertonian and had just returned from watching a match at Goodison Park when she began to feel unwell. She said: “At first, I thought I had indigestion, so I took some heartburn medicine but I quickly realised this was something more serious than just indigestion.” 

Edwina, who lives on her own, rang 999 but because of the lack of phone signal in her area, she was only able to answer a few of call handler Natasha’s questions before the line dropped out. Luckily, she’d been able to give her address and the ambulance crew – Paramedics Lois and Rebecca plus Emergency Medical Technician Mark – arrived within 20 minutes, and were instrumental in saving Edwina’s life. 

Edwina commented: “I know I wouldn’t be here today if they hadn’t got to me so quickly. When they arrived, I was feeling pretty awful. The symptoms I was experiencing weren’t the normal ones you learn in a textbook. I had chest pain but it felt like it was all over my body. I had difficulty breathing and was sweating profusely. The running joke is that another loss for Everton is what gave me the heart attack but obviously, it was just coincidental.” 

Knowing the severity of Edwina’s condition, the crew spent less than 30 minutes on scene before blue-lighting her to Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital. Edwina said: “I don’t really remember much of the journey because on the way to hospital, my heart actually stopped beating and the crew had to use a defibrillator to bring me back to life. I recall coming back and saying, ‘I am going now’ and the crew said, ‘you nearly did but we managed to bring you back’.” 

The hospital had been alerted to Edwina’s condition prior to her arrival. She was rushed straight to the catheter lab and the crew stayed with her until she went in to have two stents fitted. She spent three days in hospital and received 10 weeks of cardiac rehabilitation. 

Just over a year on from her near-death experience, Edwina commends those who saved her life. She said: “From the call handler to the crew – they did everything they could for me and more that day. I am in awe of their speed of thinking and skill. Their timing couldn’t have been better. I am very much aware of the saying ‘here today, gone tomorrow’ and the only reason I am still here today is because of Natasha, Lois, Rebecca and Mark.” 

She continued: “Before my heart attack, I enjoyed fell walking and I have now increased that activity and I’m planning to head off to Northern Spain in the summer to pursue a 90 km walk. I live every day and say no to nothing. I owe them my life and I can’t thank them enough.” 

Edwina’s story is now being used as part of a new mandatory training module to emphasise the positive impact staff can have by swiftly transferring patients to hospital.