One year on from surviving a cardiac arrest on a West Footscray street, Kellie Delaney is helping improve the chances of others having the same positive outcome.
On June 23 last year, the quick action of two bystanders who noticed her collapsed on the footpath and performed CPR until paramedics arrived, helped save the mother-of-two’s life.
As a tribute to her heroes, bystanders Stacey Earsman and Justen Petch, Ms Delaney has made a generous donation to Ambulance Victoria (AV), to help more community members learn how to give CPR.
“I was trying to think of a way to give back after what happened to me, because I consider myself so lucky to have had people around who knew what they were doing when I had my cardiac arrest,” she said.
“So I thought I could help someone else in the future who goes through the same thing to have someone there who knows how to do CPR.”
Ms Delaney’s donation has funded a new CPR training manikin, which is currently being used at AV-run Call, Push, Shock training sessions in Melbourne’s western suburbs.
These sessions teach community members the three simple steps anyone can follow to save a life – call Triple-0, push hard and fast on the middle of the chest to give CPR, and shock with an automated external defibrillator (AED) if available.
“When I found out the CPR manikin was being used, chills went down my back and I had a little bit of a tear as well just knowing that I could be helping somebody else,” she said.
“On top of that, it’s helping in my local community. It’s where I live, where I’ve grown up and where my family all are as well.”
More than 100 people have already benefited from the manikin.
Details: https://www.ambulance.vic.gov.au/donations
