25 April 2023 , 19:12
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A football manager has thanked his goalkeeper for one of her greatest saves – his life.
Philip Powell, 65, was organising a training session for Lampeter Ladies FC when he collapsed and suffered a cardiac arrest.
Keeper Amber Holland, who qualified as a nurse last year, performed emergency first aid and revived Philip with a defibrillator.
Philip, from Ysbyty Ystwyth, in Ceredigion, west Wales said: “I was running a training session when I suddenly collapsed, and my heart stopped.
“One of the players, Amber Holland, followed her instinct and training by performing CPR on me.
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“She received support and encouragement from other girls present.
Amber Holland qualified as a nurse last year (Tindle Newspapers / SWNS)“Another of the girls was sent to bring a defibrillator. Their actions that night kept me alive until paramedics arrived.
“Without their help I probably wouldn’t still be here to tell the tale.”
The retired engineer also expressed his gratitude for the efforts his other players and the healthcare professionals from Hywel Dda University Health Board.
Club bosses have since arranged for members to go on first aid courses and they are calling for other clubs in the west Wales divisions to do the same.
Nurse Amber, 31, said: “People in our profession have to do something. I just had to act.
The drama happened during a training session for Lampeter Ladies FC (Estelle Rose / SWNS)“It was scary because ordinarily you’re in the hospital surrounded by your colleagues but I can be quite calm in high-pressure environments and the adrenaline encourages you to act in a timely manner.
“People don’t always know what to do if they’re outside of that profession.
“I just went into nurse mode. We’re always on duty and it was just instinct if you see someone who needs help.”
The Mirror has been campaigning for a law requiring defibrillators to be provided at locations such as sports grounds and public buildings.
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More than 30,000 people suffer cardiac arrests outside hospital every year in the UK. Just one in 10 survives.