We were delighted to welcome Donna Mason, along with twin sister Karen and Dad, Keith, to our Kidlington ambulance station on Monday, 30 March.
Donna suffered a life-threatening emergency at home in Witney in July last year. A pre-existing heart condition, reaction to a newly prescribed medication and a subsequently diagnosed COVID infection, caused Donna to wake up in the early hours and find herself fighting for breath.
As her partner and daughter were not at home with her that evening, she was on the phone to 999 and trying to wake up some of the neighbours on her floor in her apartment block for help when she collapsed.
Amanda , along with despatcher colleague, Izzy, remember the call well. “We knew the patient had been talking to our emergency call taker colleague, Sarah, but then the phone line went quiet. We then treated it as the highest priority call – a potential cardiac arrest – and resourced accordingly.”
First to arrive at Donna’s block were ambulance nurse, Jenny, and associate ambulance practitioner, Abi, who were quickly backed up by specialist practitioner, Adam, and a second ambulance crew of paramedics Keisha and Peter.
Donna was stabilised at the scene before being transported to hospital. Her condition was so serious that on the way to hospital, Jenny and Abi stopped briefly to allow a team from the Thames Valley Air Ambulance to come on board and accompany Donna to the John Radcliffe Hospital.
Donna very kindly brought some gifts for the teams based at the ambulance station and in the control room, telling the team: “I am so grateful you were able to reach me in time – what you do is just incredible. I owe a huge debt of gratitude to you all and being able to thank you in person has been really special.”
Pictured with Donna are Keisha, Adam, Amanda and Izzy.