Heart-lifting awards

By Ed Merrison
THE importance of learning life saving skills was reinforced recently at the sixth annual Metropolitan Ambulance Service Community Hero Awards.
Among the recipients were two residents who saved their sister’s life.
Rebecca Atkinson of Boronia and Samantha Hamilton of Gembrook were among 12 Victorians recognised in the awards on Monday, 21 November.
At an awards ceremony at Parliament House, Health Minister Bronwyn Pike said the 12 took the vital step from being bystanders at an emergency to being involved in ensuring someone survived.
“They have been nominated for these awards by the people who really do know how important their assistance was – the MAS paramedics who saw first hand how their help, quick actions and support helped to save lives.
“Their common bond is they were all brave enough to see someone in need and decide to take action and help,” Ms Pike said.
Ms Atkinson and Ms Hamilton saved younger sister Katie Youens who collapsed from a cardiac arrest on Sunday, 8 May this year.
The incident occurred at a Mother’s Day family gathering when Ms Youens, then 29, complained of feeling unwell.
“She went to lie down on our parents’ bed. Suddenly we heard a crash and Samantha and I rushed in,” Ms Atkinson said.
Ms Hamilton immediately dialled for an ambulance as Ms Atkinson discovered Katie had stopped breathing.
The sisters started performing CPR, following the instructions of the ambulance service over the phone.
Shortly after the paramedics arrived, Ms Youens regained a heartbeat and started breathing by herself.
“It was really terrifying. We thought she’d die,” Ms Atkinson said.
After 16 days in hospital, Ms Youens was discharged and made a full recovery at home.
Ms Atkinson, 33, and Ms Hamilton, 36, received a certificate and medal in recognition of their life-saving deed, but did not feel they had done anything extraordinary.
“It felt a little bit odd, really, because we felt we did what anyone would do.
“We didn’t think we’d done anything heroic – she’s our family, of course we’d do what we did,” Ms Atkinson said.
She said knowledge of basic lifesaving skills were vital and urged other people to learn CPR.
“If we hadn’t known to do what we did, the doctor said the outcome would not have been as good as it was,” she said.