Buy a defibrillator to help people like Oliver

We are fundraising for a defibrillator for the Tollesby area which could be available 24/7 to the community in an emergency.

On August 31st around 6:15pm, myself and my husband Liam were off-duty when we happened to spot 40-year-old Oliver Williams who had collapsed on Glendale Road and was having a cardiac arrest.

We gave CPR to Oliver until paramedics arrived and he was taken to hospital, where he was cared for in intensive care, the Coronary Care Unit and Ward 29 at James Cook University Hospital.

Paramedics at the scene used their defibrillator machine before taking Oliver to hospital.

At the time, myself and Liam weren't aware of the locations of any local defibrillators, particularly on an evening. We have since researched this and found that survival rates for those suffering a cardiac arrest are 20% higher with the use of a defibrillator, which is why we are now coming together to fundraise and people do not need any training to use a defibrillator machine as it has verbal instructions.

Oliver is a dad to Esther and Sidney and partner to Caroline. We dread to think what could have happened to Oliver and are really pleased that he is now on the road to recovery.

Because of our actions and the actions of the paramedics and hospital staff, Oliver can now be at home with his family, which many of us take for granted.

Oliver is the reason that we are fundraising and every penny which is raised could help save people like him.