'One in a million' Stevenage cardiac arrest survivor thanks the people who saved her

A grandmother who had a cardiac arrest at the wheel of her car has been reunited with the people who helped to save her life.

Kay Rush, 63, a keen runner, was driving along Fellowes Way in Stevenage in April when her heart stopped, causing her to crash into a parked car.

The moment triggered an extraordinary series of events which meant the difference between life and death, with Mrs Rush's life-savers reuniting at Stevenage Ambulance Station on Babbage Road on Monday.

When Mrs Rush suffered the cardiac arrest, an off-duty lollipop lady was having lunch in a pub opposite and saw what happened.

Michelle D’Arcy ran out to help as soon as she saw the crash and began CPR immediately, even though Mrs Rush was still sitting at the wheel of the car.

Sharon Spencer, a senior paramedic in a rapid response vehicle, arrived within two minutes and moved Mrs Rush out of her car to continue the CPR on the ground.

Mrs Rush, who ran the London Marathon in 2021 and considered herself to be in good health, said the timing of her cardiac arrest could not have been luckier.

She said: “If it happened five minutes before I would have been at my daughter Nicola’s house feeding her cats while she was away; five minutes later I would have been at my 94-year-old mum’s house and she would have called 999 but would not have been able to start CPR."

East of England Ambulance Service paramedic Rachel Trengrove, who arrived at the scene with colleagues Leroy Leachman and Georgina Bull, said: “I was close to tears when the ambulance left with Kay as I knew it was going to be a good outcome for her, as the CPR was started quickly and at each stage of her treatment it had been so efficient."

Ms Trengrove said it showed how important basic lifesaving skills could be in saving a person's life.

She added: "To survive a cardiac arrest, get discharged from hospital and do the school run five weeks later is one in a million. It's amazing. It really, really is."

Acting Sgt Barry Scott and PC Josh Stephenson, from Hertfordshire Police, also took their turn in performing CPR on Mrs Rush and are in line for a Royal Humane Society award for their efforts.  

She was given four shocks over a 12-minute period which effectively restarted her heart and kept it going again.

Essex and Herts Air Ambulance landed their helicopter shortly after to provide critical care assistance.

They performed a rapid sequence intubation - a procedure to protect her airway - on Mrs Rush before she was transported by road to the Lister Hospital.

After 24 hours, she came round with no major problems, just having slight short term memory loss.

The hospital found nothing wrong with her heart and that her cardiac arrest had been spontaneous.

She was transferred to the cardiac unit at the Royal Brompton Hospital in London and has now had an internal defibrillator and pacemaker fitted and is building up her stamina, with her seven grandchildren keeping her busy.     

Lollipop lady Michelle D'Arcy said being first on the scene to start helping Mrs Rush had been a privilege.

"Now knowing Kay and knowing what a lovely lady she is, eighth grandchild on the way and seeing how loved she is, it's really given me something back as well.

"I've always suffered with depression and a purpose in life and this has given me my purpose. It's really helped me in so many ways and I've got a friend for life with Kay and with her family."

Mrs Rush said: “I have been told that the survival rate for out of hospital cardiac arrests is around 3% and it is even lower with those who show no ill effects at around 1% – I’m thankful to all involved that I’m now part of that small survival percentage.”

The East of England Ambulance Service said early intervention with CPR was crucial in increasing the chances of survival in cardiac arrests suffered outside hospitals.

Mrs Rush is delighted that the pub opposite where she had her cardiac arrest is now raising money to buy a defibrillator.

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