Teenager Thanks Lifesavers After Suffering Cardiac Arrest

A Market Harborough teenager has thanked a team of people who helped save his life when he suffered a cardiac arrest at Harborough Leisure Centre.

Harry Edwins, 17, was in the gym with a group of friends when he collapsed on October 31st.

Specialist nurse Millie Clarke who happened to be training in the gym at the time and leisure centre staff members Clinton Baugh, Lara Sinclair-Banks and Toby Elliston rushed to help.

They performed CPR on Harry and used a defibrillator to re-start his heart before paramedics arrived.

Harry Edwins

Harry has spent three weeks in the Coronary Care Unit at Leicester’s Glenfield Hospital and had an operation to implant a mini-defibrillator, which will automatically shock his heart if it stops again.

The Robert Smyth Academy student was diagnosed with Idiopathic Ventricular Fibrillation (IVF), a diagnosis given when no underlying cause is identified in a cardiac arrest survivor.

He has returned to school today and spoke to HFM’s Nick Shaw:

L-R Centre manager Matt Hopkin with lifesavers Clinton Baugh, Millie Clarke and Lara Sinclair-Banks with their award certificates

Millie, Clinton, Lara and Toby were recognised for their life-saving work at the recent Active Harborough District Sports Awards, where they were each handed a ‘Harborough Hero Award.’

Milllie, Clinton and Lara spoke to HFM:

Harry has already seen Clinton since the incident and is to meet up with the others who saved his life very soon.

Matt Hopkin, contract manager for Leisure Centre operator Everyone Active, has praised everyone involved: