London Ambulance Service - Real life: patient stories

Heart-attack stories

Real life: Paul's story
Paul Le Vesconte had a pioneering treatment called primary angioplasty at King's College Hospital after he had a heart attack.
Read Paul's story.
Real life: Mark's story
Mark Hollet, 40, had just dropped off a fare from his black cab one evening in December when he began to experience severe chest pain and dialled 999 for an ambulance.
Read Mark's story

Real life: Keith's story
Keith Grey, 41, was working out in his gym when he suffered a cardiac arrest in October last year. Luckily for him, the staff at the Central YMCA Club, Bloomsbury, had been trained by us in basic life support and how to use a defibrillator.
Read Keith's story
Real life: James' story
James Fuller, 28, was in a meeting at work in Canary Wharf one Monday when he collapsed. He had suffered a cardiac arrest. An ambulance was called immediately, along with the trained first aid rep in the office.
Read James' story
Real life: Steve's story
We have trained more than 5,500 people who work in these places to use the defibrillators so they can start life-saving procedures while our staff are on their way. Steve Hodder's life was saved in this way when he suffered a cardiac arrest at London Bridge train station.
Read Steve's story.
Real life: Mary's story
Twenty-eight-year-old Mary Cook was walking along Tooley Street, London Bridge, one evening when she collapsed and stopped breathing. British Transport Police Constable Noel Harmsworth was passing by and immediately started chest compressions.
Read Mary's story
Real life: Lee's story
Lee was at home jamming with friends last July when he suffered a cardiac arrest. The quick actions of his friends and our staff helped save his life.
Read Lee's story