Cherie Azzopardi: Hoppers Crossing mum ‘thankful’ to meet paramedics after lifesaving call

A Hoppers Crossing hairdresser will be married soon, after a split-second decision to call her mum when she wasn’t feeling well saved her life.

A Hoppers Crossing mum whose split-second decision to call her mother when she wasn’t feeling right, has had a chance to express her thanks to the paramedics who saved her life.

Cherie Azzopardi, 32, was home with her two young children in October last year when she started experiencing the symptoms of a stroke.

Her vision was deteriorating, her hands were becoming weak and she was quickly losing the ability to speak.

The hairdresser made a split-second decision to call her mother, who lived nearby, who arrived a short time later to find her distressed and her five-year-old daughter trying to comfort her.

Her mum immediately called triple-0, who rushed a specialist stroke team to her home which saved her life.

“I received the best possible care, the mobile intensive care paramedics who were first on scene were so responsive and respectful,” she said, after being reunited with the team.

“The work of the mobile stroke unit crew was incredible, I was given the right care in the right way … I am so thankful.”

Paramedic Tom Duigan said the use of the mobile stroke team had reduced the damage caused by Cherie’s stroke.

“In these cases, time saved is brain saved,” he said.

“Time is critical when it comes to treating stroke patients, so by getting to these patients in the field and assessing them straight away, the mobile stroke team is able to reduce the time before the type of stroke is diagnosed.”

According to Ambulance Victoria, up to 1.9 million brain cells die every minute a person remains untreated during a stroke.

Ms Azzopardi spent two nights under supervision at the Royal Melbourne Hospital before she was discharged and says there has been no long-term impact to her mobility.

“I am working on my speech as I still stutter at times, slur my words, and sometimes I can’t even string a sentence together,” she said.

“I also have difficulty retaining information and am forgetful, but I am hopeful this will improve over time.”

Ms Azzopardi said she was now looking forward to April wedding with long-term partner Glenn.