Lucky to be alive!

MARTIN Qualter is living, breathing, walking proof that the work local heart charity Croí is doing in trying to get defibrillators out into the community as part of its Lifeline Project is having the intended effect.It’s saving lives. Last December, the 56-yearold Bohermore native was in Matt O’Flaherty Chemist in the Galway Shopping Centre — looking for tablets to relieve chest pains he thought were being caused by a buildup of acid — when he collapsed.He had had a heart attack, and then went into sudden cardiac arrest. His heart had suddenly stopped beating. An off-duty nurse — also in the chemist that day — began giving him mouth to mouth resuscitation; and Gerry Egan, a security guard at the nearby Tesco, was called to the scene, bringing with him the defibrillator that had been installed by Croí in the shopping centre.Mr. Egan is one of 12 staff at the centre who’s been trained by Croí in CPR and early defibrillation. He used the defibrillator on Mr. Qualter, keeping him alive until the ambulance arrived and its crew — Advanced Paramedic Noel Murray and Paramedic Mike Swift — took over, using their highly specialised training to further stabilise Mr. Qualter.He was rushed to University Hospital Galway, and ...................