Trainee nurse who saved senior nominated for Pride of Australia medal
WITH no defibrillator at the athletics track, Les Gillies was in grave danger when he turned blue and collapsed after a race meet this year.
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WITH no defibrillator at the athletics track, Les Gillies was in grave danger when he turned blue and collapsed after a race meet in Wollongong this year.
Luckily 37-year-old aspiring nurse Renay Parkinson was in the crowd. Although yet to finish her training, the mother of two showed she has the cool head and quick thinking that will make her an asset to her profession.
She took control of the frightening situation, performing CPR until paramedics could arrive.
While other bystanders helped — including an ICU doctor who happened to walk past — Mr Gillies, 70, and his family credit Ms Parkinson with saving his life.
Mr Gillies’ wife, Penny, said her husband was a former Masters Australian champ who had run hundreds of races, but noticed something wasn’t right as he finished the Wollongong race in January.
She rushed to her husband’s side as he slumped and began to desperately push on his chest.
Then Ms Parkinson came to the rescue.
Doctors found an almost entirely blocked artery
“I was taking photos of some of the athletes when my partner saw that something was going on,” Ms Parkinson, 37, said.
“We went over to have a look and saw that a man had turned blue and had no pulse.”
“I took over and instructed people what to do until the ambulance got there then relayed the information to them,” Ms Parkinson said.
Mrs Gillies has nominated Ms Parkinson for a Pride of Australia award for the help that brought her husband back to life.
On arriving, paramedics worked on Mr Gillies for about 40 minutes before they found a pulse and took him to hospital.
Doctors found an almost entirely blocked artery and inserted a stent during surgery.
Mr Gillies no longer competes in sprints but still runs and jogs often.
“He’s perfect now — no heart damage and no problems at all,” Mrs Gillies said.
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“If Renay hadn’t have been there, he wouldn’t have had a good ending — she saved his life.”
The Kerryn McCann Athletics Track in Wollongong has since bought a defibrillator, and, prompted by the incident, Sydney Olympic Park has ensured its machine is more easily accessible to the public, possibly saving countless future lives.
On being told of her Pride of Australia nomination, Ms Parkinson said she acted on instinct: “I was in shock but I’d do that for anyone.”
Pride of Australia encourages Australians to nominate those whose skill, bravery or both has made a critical difference to their lives.
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