York Region resident Carmen Wong had the unfortunate experience of needing CPR to help save her life.
While meeting with a supervisor in her Markham insurance office in September 2023, Wong said she suddenly collapsed, going through a cardiac arrest. She passed out, but a coworker rushed in to administer CPR to help her.
Wong described a harrowing experience, waking up in an ambulance and having to stay in hospital for several days. But, she ultimately recovered, something she credits to CPR and the fast actions of her coworkers.
“Every day is an extra day for me,” Wong said. “I want to use my life to impact, or influence …. My story can inspire somebody to think that CPR is very important.
“I want people to know that CPR not only saved my life, but my whole family,” Wong added.
York Region Paramedic Services is reminding residents about the importance of CPR during CPR Month in November. The paramedics held a demonstration event Nov. 26, inviting York Region staff from all sectors to practise CPR at a station set up at York Region headquarters.
Deputy chief Carrie Harder said CPR Month is an opportunity to acknowledge and recognize the importance of CPR. She said it is easier to learn than it used to be.
“Getting that CPR right away definitely contributes to positive outcomes for a patient whose heart has stopped beating. That, in conjunction with using an automated external defibrillator … can improve a patient outcome by about 75 per cent,” Harder said.
Stephanie Ho was the coworker who rushed to help Wong during the cardiac arrest. She said she did not have an up-to-date certification for CPR but had previously had training in it as a lifeguard years ago.
“Afterwards, I felt pretty happy that I was able to save someone’s life like that,” Ho said. “To have it (in) an actual real-life situation, I felt pretty proud.”
Harder said there are plenty of programs that offer training, such as through the Heart and Stroke Foundation or St. John Ambulance, but she said even without formal training, people can still help with chest compressions.
“You don’t need to have that specific training, just as long as you’re getting your hands in the centre of the chest, pushing in about two inches and then trying to do 100 times in a minute,” she said. “Certainly, if you have the training, it helps.”
Ho said after the incident, they co-ordinated CPR training for their office in Markham.
“You never know what could happen. It could be a family member or a friend or a coworker,” Ho said. “It’s definitely a useful skill to have.”
“I just think I’m a walking miracle,” Wong said. “I hope to use my story to inspire.”
