Sue Collins

Sue is a Registered Nurse in the Resuscitation team who helped save a life on the way to a Luton FC game:

“On the 30th December my dad was walking along Kenilworth Road with my brother and nephew to watch Luton Town FC. My dad is 80 years old and up until this day was fit and healthy with no history of heart or respiratory problems. Whilst walking up to the match, he suddenly felt faint, called out to my brother, and collapsed. Fortunately, there was a family close behind him who saw what happened and immediately went to their aid. My dad had no pulse, so the lady began CPR whilst her daughter called for an ambulance and her husband ran to get help from a steward and policeman (who I believe took over the CPR). By the time the ambulance arrived they had successfully resuscitated my Dad who was then transferred to the Luton and Dunstable Hospital.

“The sequence of events that followed are still quite unbelievable but in summary after an initial PE misdiagnosis he was admitted to Ward 16 where he received excellent care and was then transferred to Papworth Hospital on the 4th January where he underwent an emergency pulmonary endarterectomy, removal of a pulmonary mass and valve replacement.

“Although we are still waiting for the histology, I am pleased to say he is now home and making an excellent recovery and this simply would not be the case if it wasn’t for the off-duty nurse Sue Collins (who I understand is Senior Resuscitation Officer at Bedford Hospital) along with her husband Andy and daughter Rosie (who I also believe is a trainee nurse associate but I’m not sure where). In my view Sue was in the right place at the right time and if it wasn’t for her immediate response, expert knowledge and skill, my dad would not be here with us today.”