Mum saves toddler after training

A Gloucestershire mum came to the rescue of her young daughter when she stopped breathing just days after learning about resuscitation skills during a St John Ambulance training course.

Georgina Gray began chest compressions and breathing techniques on 23-month-old Ruby Butler when she suddenly stopped breathing and her lips turned blue at their home in Newtown, Tewkesbury.

Georgina had attended a one-day Emergency aid for appointed persons course at one of the charity's training centres in Link Road as part of her job in the accounts department at Alno Products, based on the Cotteswold Dairy Estate.

The course teaches basic first aid and workplace health and safety regulations but trainer Ann Kerr gave an additional demonstration about resuscitation for children and infants at the end of the course after participants asked about the skills.

42-year-old Georgina said that without that knowledge her daughter could have died. She praised the charity and said everyone should learn some basic first aid.

She said: 'I had gone along to the course with a colleague and we had learnt a lot about first aid for adults, Ann made it so interesting. We asked Ann at the end about how you would deal with a child and she showed us, going into great detail.

'I never imagined that I'd need to put that into action just two days later. Ruby hadn't been very well in the morning and I said to Gary (her partner) that her lips had gone blue. Then her eyes rolled back in her head and she stopped breathing.

'We called an ambulance and the controller was telling us what to do and what Ann had shown us started to come back to me. I realised I remembered what she had told us about how many chest compressions to do and Ruby started breathing again.

'An ambulance came and she was taken to hospital. Doctors think she had a virus of some sort but they said she wouldn't be here today if I hadn't done what I did.'

Ruby is now back home with Georgina and dad Gary and is back to full health, looking forward to her second birthday next month.

Georgina said she would urge anyone to learn first aid skills after her experience: 'It really shook me up at first but I am so glad I knew what to do. I was so fresh in my memory because I'd only done the course two days before but I do intend to make sure I keep my skills up to date now because I never know when I may need them.'

St John Ambulance trainer Ann Kerr said: 'I am delighted that Georgina was able to put what she had learnt to help Ruby. It just goes to show that you never know when you may need first aid skills.

'It can take just a matter of hours to learn what you need to save somebody's life and I would encourage everyone – whether for their home life, work or activities they're involved in – to take the time to do a first aid course.'