A 30-year-old mother of three is back home in time for Christmas after surviving a sudden cardiac arrest in September.
Her survival is being attributed to early bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and a groundbreaking new clinical trial aiming to improve access to automated external defibrillators (AEDs).
Bernadette Troy and her kids were out with a local Heathcote running group when she suddenly collapsed.
Fellow members of the running group realised she wasn't breathing, and quickly called Triple Zero (000) and launched into CPR.
L-R: Husband Daniel, son Albey and Bernadette Troy, with GoodSAM Responder and Heathcote ACO Lee Ridsdale who holds a CellAED.
As ambulances were dispatched, an alert was also sent to local GoodSAM responders - including off-duty Heathcote Ambulance Community Officer (ACO) Lee Ridsdale.
"I was there within two or three minutes and as I pulled round the corner, I could see someone in the middle of the road doing CPR," Lee said.
GoodSAM is a life-saving app that connects patients in cardiac arrest with a nearby volunteer who is willing to start hands-only CPR while paramedics are on their way.
A recent trial has been underway to provide active GoodSAM responders with a potentially game-changing device - a new fully automatic, single-use defibrillator that is small enough to be carried in a pocket and simple enough to be deployed in seconds.
Lee is one of the GoodSAM responders equipped with the new CellAED as part of the FIRST trial, led by Ambulance Victoria (AV) and Hato Hone St John New Zealand.
"I grabbed the CellAED - which I keep in an insulated lunch box in my car, with a pair of gloves, a set of shears, a razor and a mask," Lee said.
"I put it on Bernadette, it did its first analysis and gave a shock, and by this time I also had a bag valve mask on her, so we could manually ventilate her."
Lee and members of the running group continued CPR and gave a second shock with the CellAED.
A CellAED.
When it did its third analysis, no shock was recommended and Lee could feel a pulse.
"I've attended about 18 cardiac arrests, either as an ACO or a GoodSAM, and this was the first time I've ever had a return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC)," Lee said.
"For me, it was huge."
It was Lee's second time using her CellAED.
"To be honest, I had my doubts about them because they give 75 or 80 joule shocks, whereas when I'm an ACO, we give shocks of 200 joules," Lee explained.
"I couldn't reconcile how this was going to do anything, but I'm a convert because I've now seen it in action.
"They can make a huge difference going forward.
"In this circumstance, we had an AED on Bernadette and one shock given within five or six minutes of her having the arrest - if I hadn't had the CellAED, I would have had to send somebody to go get a publicly accessible AED which would have taken more time."
Every minute counts in cardiac arrests and when a patient receives CPR and a shock from an AED before paramedics arrive, their chance of survival more than doubles.
AV paramedics, including Mobile Intensive Care Ambulance (MICA) and MICA Flight Paramedics, soon arrived at the scene and provided Bernadette with oxygen and medications before making the decision to perform rapid sequence intubation (RSI).
RSI is an emergency airway management procedure that involves inducing unconsciousness and muscle relaxation.
Bernadette was airlifted to hospital in Melbourne by one of AV's air ambulance helicopters, where she spent one week before being well enough to be discharged home.
"I was home a week before our youngest turned one, so we were able to celebrate his first birthday," she said.
In December, she was able to reunite with those who helped save her life.
L-R: One of the running group members who called Triple Zero (000) and began CPR Steph Conduit, GoodSAM and ACO Lee Ridsdale, Daniel, Albey and Bernadette Troy, Acting Heathcote Team Manager at the time of the incident Brian Moffatt, and MICA paramedic Michael Moldoveanu.
"I am deeply grateful to the incredible individuals, Wade and Steph, whose quick thinking and life-saving CPR made all the difference that day," Bernadette said.
"Their knowledge and immediate action was nothing short of heroic, even if I can't actually remember it - guess I'll have to take their word for it!
"I also can't thank Lee enough - her expertise and calm presence, along with the amazing team from AV who attended, were truly life-saving.
"I'm not sure how I would have fared without them - I probably wouldn't be here with my family today."
Bernadette said it was incredible to learn about the role of the CellAED in her survival.
"It's been made quite clear to me how important the CellAED was," she said.
"Without it, my chances of survival would have been very, very different - in fact, I may not be here today … or at least, I wouldn't have gotten to use my 'I almost died' card for the next six months, which, let's be honest, is a pretty solid excuse for just about anything!
"Three minutes without breathing might not sound like much, but it's enough to make a huge impact and this experience has reminded me just how fragile, yet resilient, our bodies truly are.
"The Heathcote community is incredibly lucky to have Lee as a GoodSAM responder and as part of the FIRST trial.
"We're so fortunate to live in such a tight-knit, caring community, with outstanding members and first responders who make a world of difference."
Comparing the size of a CellAED to a defibrillator carried in an ambulance.
Lee said it was a wonderful feeling when she learned Bernadette had survived.
"She came home to her husband and her three young kids, and for me, that is a win every day of the week," Lee said.
"This was the first cardiac arrest I've attended where I've been confronted with someone younger, someone around the same age as my kids.
"It just shows how well things can work in our small communities - having GoodSAM, having the CellAED and then having AV resources backing us up."
The FIRST trial began in November 2022 and is due to finish in February 2025.
Since it started, the FIRST trial has seen almost 200 CellAEDs being deployed to cardiac arrest patients across Victoria and New Zealand.
