Patient Story: Golfer, Mark

In 2020, 55-year-old Mark Barrett from Askam-in-Furness was out walking his dogs when he suffered a major heart attack.

When the NWAS paramedics arrived, they assessed his condition quickly, they knew he needed to get to the hospital as soon as possible.

Due to the severity of Mark’s condition, the North West Air Ambulance Charity was called to assist. When the crew arrived on scene, they described his heart as ‘tombstoning’, the best course of treatment was to take him to a specialist cardiac centre.

The crew loaded Mark into the air ambulance, ready to take him to the nearest cardiac centre, but as the engines started, Mark lost consciousness. He had gone into cardiac arrest and had no pulse.

Without the immediate treatment and lifesaving work of the critical care paramedics, Mark may not have survived.
The nearest cardiac specialist centre was Blackpool Victoria Hospital and it would have taken over an hour by road. The NWAA crew were able to fly him to the best hospital for his condition within 14 minutes.
Despite being technically dead, Mark made an astonishing recovery and was back home just a few days after the incident.

Mark is now enjoying the simple pleasures in life, including his passion for golf.