Wiltshire: 'Guardian angel saved my life after cardiac arrest'
'Something was really wrong'
Mrs Caruth said she had no prior health issues before 7 July 2024, when she decided to go out cycling with her husband, David."I had no warnings", she said."I got on a bike with David on that Sunday morning and decided to go to a very quiet lane where there would be no cars at all, I'm so lucky there was one there."Mrs Caruth said the last thing she remembers is cycling up a hill, before she collapsed.Mrs Cox, who was in her car with husband Chris, noticed someone lying on the side of the road and decided to stop."We saw David with his bike standing on quite a deserted country lane and his partner was just lying quite motionless on top of her bike, and we realised something was really wrong," she said."I called to Chris to phone the ambulance, then I realised Sophie had no pulse so we turned her over and started CPR."The woman on the switchboard was brilliant and kept me going."
The first thing Mrs Caruth remembers is waking up at the BRI. After five days she was sent home, with no cardiac or brain damage."The CPR was done immediately and it was carried on and she didn't stop," she said.Mrs Cox said she was anxious to know how Mrs Caruth was doing while she was being treated in hospital."As soon as Sophie was able to walk and was stronger, both of them came round to see us," she said."She brought me some flowers, and it was just really lovely to see her up and about and as healthy as she possibly could be."
Since her recovery Mrs Caruth has been working with a cardiac trainer from north Dorset, to get people in her village to learn the life-saving skill.Hannah McLean, who runs Gold Hill CPR training, which is funded by the Shaftesbury charity Swans Trust said: "Sophie and David put a very generous donation towards [the charity] which has enabled me to buy the equipment, the mannequins, and training defibrillators.""Along with other donations I'm able to go out into the community and offer those training sessions to people."Mrs Caruth has also funded a defibrillator which has been installed next to their home in the village."Most of the defibrillators that are put in public places, tend to be in offices, shopping malls, town centres, they're not in residential areas and certainly not in a remote village. "They need to be in residential areas, it's far more important to have them there, and it's much rarer to have them there because it's not part of the planning regulation."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Record
26-07-2025
- Daily Record
Mum died for 17 minutes before being diagnosed with ultra rare heart disease
Victoria Thomas died for 17 minutes but her heart miraculously sprang back to life. Now mum to a healthy baby boy, she is due to compete in both volleyball and basketball at the World Transplant Games A mum has shared her story after she dropped dead for 17 minutes after a gym session which eventually led to an ultra rare diagnosis. Victoria Thomas was in the middle of boot camp at the gym when her heart stopped netball-loving sports enthusiast had started to feel exhausted after a weightlifting session. The 35-year-old accountant had gone into cardiac arrest. An ambulance arrived within minutes and paramedics started CPR– but as the clock ticked on with no result, fears rose that Victoria's heart had stopped for good. She told the Mirror: 'I said to my friend that I didn't feel like I had any power or energy, like it had just drained from my body. I was also feeling slightly dizzy. I'd only just said it when I suddenly collapsed on the floor.' 'When it happened, it went black and there was nothing, then I became aware of looking down on my body. "I was floating near the roof and was looking down at myself on the gym floor. My first thought was that my legs looked really fat.'And when I looked at a photo of myself taken just minutes before I collapsed, I could see that my legs were actually swollen. 'I didn't see a light, or feel peaceful, I was just watching myself, and I could see some yellow machines around me.' Eventually, after 17 minutes, Victoria's heart sprang back into life. Now 41, she says: 'They never gave up on me. The minutes ticked by, but they refused to stop trying. I was so young, fit and healthy and it had come completely out of the blue.' Victoria was taken to Bristol Royal Infirmary, where she spent three days in a coma. Again, she pulled through and doctors fitted her with a defibrillator to restart her heart in the event her body went into cardiac arrest again. Victoria, who has no family history of heart problems, was allowed home, but over the next few months her heart stopped on several occasions, with the defibrillator shocking it back into rhythm each time. She says: 'I went back to playing netball three weeks after it happened, with my defibrillator. It was a shock whenever it went off, but it allowed me to carry on living my normal life, which I was so grateful for.' And in February 2021, Victoria discovered she was expecting a baby. She says: 'Being pregnant was wonderful, but it put pressure on my heart and I started going into cardiac arrest regularly – although the pacemaker would kick in.'Victoria was 24 weeks pregnant when she was given a reason for the repeated cardiac arrests. Specialists had diagnosed Danon disease – a rare genetic disorder,thought to affect fewer than a million people is caused by a problem with the LAMP 2 gene, which produces anenzyme that is responsible for a process that keeps cells clean and healthy. Victoria is the first person in her family to have Danon disease. She says: 'When I read the letter from the genetics team telling me what I had, I was 24 weeks pregnant with Tommy and I was so shocked, I couldn't take it in. 'The doctors wanted to deliver Tommy at just 24 weeks, but I persuaded them to let me hang on a few more weeks. If he had been born at 24 weeks then he may not have survived. 'But by the time I was 30 weeks I couldn't breathe properly because of the fluid build up around my body, so I had to have an emergency caesarean.' Thankfully, newborn Tommy was fine. Victoria says: 'It was so amazing to be a mum and to hold Tommy in my arms after everything.'But Victoria, who is now a single parent after splitting up with her boy's dad, discovered her heart had been damaged further by the pregnancy. By the time Tommy was six months, she was so breathless that even getting up the stairs was a massive April 2022, a hospital check-up found her heart was functioning at just 11%,meaning she was experiencing end-of-life heart failure. She says: 'I asked the doctors how long I had left and they told me I had just another couple of months.'It was devastating. All I could think of was Tommy. I vowed I wouldn't leave him.' Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Victoria was put on the urgent donor register. She says: 'I had to stay in hospital, and when my sisters brought him in to see me I would cuddle him and cherish every moment I had with him. 'Time was running out for me,and I had to pray that they were going to find me a heart in time. Two hearts were found – but further tests revealed they weren't suitable." Victoria, who lives in Gloucester, says: 'It was devastating. Each time I'd get my hopes up thinking this was it, that I was going to be saved. "And then I was told that the operation couldn't go ahead. I didn't know if they were ever going to find a heart in time.I'd given up all hope.' But in April 2023, finally a suitable and usable heart was had the transplant at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham. The surgery was a success and she was allowed home that May. She says: 'I'd been in hospital since Tommy's first birthday in October and now I was finally home with him. I couldn't believe it.' Apart from a few episodes of initial rejection, Victoria is now back to full strength. Tommy is now three, and tests have shown he does not have Danon disease. Checks have also put Victoria's other relatives in the clear.
Scotsman
09-06-2025
- Scotsman
Prevention is better than cure when it comes to dealing with corruption
Put measures in place to lessen the risk of financial crimes occurring, says Sally Clark Sign up to our Scotsman Money newsletter, covering all you need to know to help manage your money. Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Prison sentences were handed out in Glasgow last week to four men involved in a £6 million corruption and bribery investigation involving health boards across Scotland. This case, which underlines the importance of compliance and ensuring anti-financial crime prevention mechanisms are implemented and regularly monitored, exposed a series of fraudulently-awarded NHS contracts. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Oricom Ltd, a company founded by Adam Sharoudi and Gavin Brown, secured deals to provide telecoms and video conferencing equipment to NHS trusts in Lothian, Grampian, Lanarkshire, Greater Glasgow & Clyde, and Ayrshire & Arran between 2010 and 2017. However, amid concerns about how the contracts were awarded, Oricom's offices were later raided by investigators including those from NHS Scotland Counter Fraud Services. CMS logo new The follow-up investigation found the company had been given 'commercially sensitive information' by former NHS employees Alan Hush and Gavin Cox. They received nearly £90,000 in cash and a range of other gifts, including luxury hotel stays, concert tickets, and holiday vouchers in return. The High Court heard how Hush helped Oricom land a number of business deals with the NHS including a £750,000 contract with NHS Lothian. Meanwhile, Cox helped the company secure contracts with NHS Lanarkshire. Overall, Hush was given £18,231 worth of cash bribes and gifts, while Cox received more than £70,000 of illicit rewards from the company. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad After being found guilty of a string of charges including bribery, corruption, fraud, and money laundering, Oricom founders Sharoudi and Brown were sentenced to eight and seven years' imprisonment respectively. Sally Clark is an Of Counsel and disputes resolution specialist, CMS Hush, who was telecommunications manager at NHS Lothian, then NHS Scotland video conferencing manager, was ordered to serve eight years while Cox, former head of IT and infrastructure at NHS Lanarkshire. received a six-year sentence. This case highlighted how basic procurement procedures were circumvented to ensure a company paying bribes was awarded contracts. This may be a familiar bribery tale, but is a strong reminder that putting in place avoidance measures to prevent corruption and other forms of financial crime is preferable to taking steps to deal with such violations. In this case, the police and NHS counter-fraud investigation began in 2015, and a decade-long journey culminated with a trial which heard 65 days of evidence. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad No business or organisation wants to face the potential legal costs, reputational damage, and prospect of immense disruption that accompanies a financial crime investigation. Those being investigated are typically required to provide materials under warrant, which includes the interrogation of computer systems by law enforcement agencies. Staff may also be required to provide witness statements and respond to ongoing queries from investigating authorities, all of which requires significant time and resource. Being involved in a law enforcement investigation can generate exceptional anxiety amongst staff members who are required to provide witness statements and give evidence in court. This also brings further business disruption with people being diverted from their core focus within a business or organisation. As this NHS case highlights, putting regularly monitored measures in place to prevent the prospect of financial crimes occurring is a much more preferable alternative to dealing with the fallout of failing to do so. The introduction of section 196 of the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 should further underline this message – under this new provision, a business or organisation can be prosecuted for economic crimes that are perpetrated by senior managers who are on their staff.
Daily Mirror
01-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
'I'm a gastroenterologist – this common painkiller can cause two major health issues'
Dr Saurabh Sethi, who posts on social media about various health topics, issued a warning to the millions who take a popular painkiller. Here's what they had to say A gastroenterologist has issued a stark warning to the millions who regularly take a common pill – as overuse can lead to two significant health problems. Dr Saurabh Sethi, known for his online health advice, stated that he would be cautious taking this medication due to its potential risks. Overconsumption of ibuprofen can have detrimental effects on the body. In fact, many people are unaware of the harm it can cause, prompting Dr Sethi to share some expert guidance. He revealed: "75% of people who take them regularly develop gut inflammation, and one in four can develop ulcers. I perform endoscopies regularly, and see these ulcers first hand. "NSAIDs reduce bloodflow to the gut, which can harm its lining. I've seen young, otherwise healthy people, come in with gut damage so severe they've ended up in the ER just because they did not know the risk of these medications. "If you're taking these medicines more than a couple of times a month, here are three things you can do. First, talk to your doctor about alternatives." He added: "Second, talk to your doctor about using a stomach protecting medication. And third, take these medicines with food to minimise the risk of damage to the gut lining." It's worth noting that regular or high-dose consumption of ibuprofen can cause ulcers. This is due to its ability to reduce the production of prostaglandins, which play a crucial role in protecting the stomach lining. Ibuprofen, part of the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) family, blocks an enzyme called cyclooxygenase (COX), which is crucial in prostaglandin production. Prostaglandins are key players in preserving the stomach lining's defence against acid and digestive fluids. What is ibuprofen? It's an NSAID that people reach for to ease pain and bring down fevers. Common ailments like headaches, dental pain, muscular strains, arthritis, and period pains are all on its hit list. Not only does it relieve pain, but its anti-inflammatory abilities help reduce inflammation and swelling. The pill can usually be taken by people aged over 17, but there are red flags, such as history of allergic reactions to NSAIDs or if you're expecting a baby. While the pill helps many – and often isn't anything to worry about – it's always wise to chat with your GP before popping ibuprofen, just to rule out any reasons why you shouldn't. The NHS has outlined some potential side effects worth noting. It cautions: "Ibuprofen can cause ulcers in your stomach or gut, especially if you take it by mouth for a long time or in big doses. If you need to take it for a long time your doctor may also prescribe a medicine to help protect your stomach." Common side effects of oral ibuprofen, which can affect more than one in 100 people, include headaches, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, flatulence or indigestion. If these symptoms persist, it's crucial to consult your doctor. The NHS also advises that you should immediately contact a doctor, or dial 111, and cease taking ibuprofen if you experience: Black poo or blood in your vomit – these signs can indicate bleeding in your stomach Swollen ankles, blood in your pee or not peeing at all – these signs can indicate a kidney problem
