The heroic actions of University Hospitals Sussex nurses and healthcare assistants have been praised by the man whose life they helped to save during a badminton game at Moulsecoomb Leisure Centre.
Kelvin Fong, 47, from Peacehaven was playing the first badminton game of the day with his club, when he went into cardiac arrest, collapsing and hitting his head against a brick wall.
By complete chance, Kelvin’s teammate and opponents were all colleagues from Royal Sussex County Hospital, who sprung into action to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and help support Kelvin whilst an ambulance was called.
The father of four said: “I feel very lucky that when it happened, I had people who knew first aid and could help.
“I believe that was how my life was saved, I don’t know what would have happened otherwise.”
Nurses, Xerxes Carticiano and Theresa Balmores and healthcare assistants, Menard Tomas and Carlos Balmores, have played badminton together since 2010, and are all members of the ‘Badders & Banter Social Session’ Badminton Club, where Kelvin plays.
Xerxes is a charge nurse who has worked at UHSussex for almost 25 years since coming to the UK from the Philippines. He was Kelvin’s team mate on the day.
He said: “Kelvin and I were playing the first set against Menard and Carlos, when I noticed Kelvin kept kneeling down and seemed confused. Then he had taken a few steps back and dropped to the floor, hitting his head on the wall.
“He was blue and had lost consciousness already. When we realised he didn’t have a pulse, Menard started CPR immediately.”
After around five minutes, Kelvin regained consciousness before first responders arrived and took over.
Xerxes describes how this was his first time responding to a cardiac arrest outside the hospital. He said: “It felt like just another day at work. The skills we use every day at the hospital naturally kicked in. It was instinctive to start performing basic life support, just as we would in the hospital.”
The sooner CPR is performed on a person having a cardiac arrest at home or in public, the better the chances of survival and brain protection.
Dr Maggie Davies, Chief Nurse at University Hospitals Sussex praised the team’s actions, she said: “I am incredibly proud of Carlos, Menard, Theresa and Xerxes for their exceptional display of professionalism. Their dedication and quick response exemplify the core values of our Trust and the unwavering commitment to providing compassionate care for everyone. Their actions remind us of the profound impact our colleagues and their expertise can have, both within and beyond the hospital.”
Kelvin was taken to Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton, where he had a device fitted that functions as both a pacemaker and a defibrillator. This device improves heart function and detects dangerous heart rhythms, delivering shocks to stop them when needed.
Also, having sustained fractures on both the front and back of his neck from the fall, Kelvin underwent additional surgeries to repair the damage.
Kelvin is now back home and continuing his recovery with the support of his wife Joanne and plans to learn CPR so he’s able to help others.
He said: “Someone saved my life with CPR, maybe I can save someone else’s in the future.”