Susan Wilson was walking past the hospital where she worked when something shocking happened. The cleaner started to feel breathless, leant against a post, and that's the last thing she remembered.
At just 62-years-old, Susan had suffered an unexpected heart attack outside of North Manchester General Hospital just before the start of her shift. She was spotted by a builder and, luckily, another NHS worker - the chance meeting saved her life.
Warren Millington is an HR manager at the hospital but started his career as an A&E nurse. Warren had just been passing and was able to resuscitate Susan with CPR.
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Susan, from Prestwich, came around after 60 seconds. The next thing she remembered was Warren saying, “I’m putting you into the recovery position”.
“That was the week we should have been going to Greece,” Susan said. She and her husband, Nick, have been trying to celebrate their 30-year anniversary together with a holiday abroad since the Covid pandemic hit in 2019.
“In a way, I’m grateful it happened when it did. I wouldn’t have survived if it happened on holiday. I was transferred to Wythenshawe Hospital and that’s the best for hearts. I couldn’t have had anyone better.”
Many of us start the year with the drive to make the most out of life but for Susan Wilson, a hospital cleaner from North Manchester General Hospital, her near death experience last year has made this even more pressing.
The North West Heart Centre at Wythenshawe Hospital is one of the UK’s top cardiac centres, providing specialist cardiac services to 3.2 million people.
The surgeon there who performed a heart operation on Susan came to tell her it was a success, but revealed that when he saw the heart valve it was so tight that she could have collapsed and died anytime, anywhere. After help from physiotherapists, Susan was able to go home and has been taking one day at a time ever since.
She’s now hoping for that long-awaited trip to Greece with her husband, Nick. “I feel better but I’ve been sleeping for about twelve hours a day! I didn’t even go for a day out last year because I felt so poorly," she continued.
Susan credits Warren with saving her life, saying: “I think he’s absolutely fantastic – he’s my life saver and I am so grateful to him.” Warren is now urging others to sign up for CPR training, which is provided free by charities including the British Heart Foundation, the St John Ambulance Service and the British Red Cross.
He said: “I worked in A&E for fifteen years so CPR comes quite naturally to me. Susan was lucky that someone with experience happened to be there for her.
“I think it’s really important that everyone learns CPR because these things happen when you don’t expect them.”
Director of HR at North Manchester General Hospital, Dean Ayling, said: "When I found out that Warren had taken swift action to save someone's life; it came as no surprise as he worked as an A&E nurse and is therefore used to high pressure situations where you have to think quick.
"Delivering hands-on care and saving lives is not now on Warren's list of duties as he has a role in HR, supporting our wonderful teams here in the hospital, but what this really highlights is the difference nursing skills can make to people's lives. It's lovely to see Susan back at work and thriving."
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