12-year-old girl from Upper Caldecote who had cardiac arrest reunited with the team that saved her life

A 12-year-old girl has had an emotional reunion with the emergency responders who helped save her life after she suffered a cardiac arrest at her home in July.

A total of 13 people, including Lexi’s family, worked to keep her alive until she could be safely transferred to hospital.

Lexi Ashwell visited Biggleswade Ambulance Station to meet the police officer from Bedfordshire Police who was first on scene, and crews from the East of England Ambulance Service (EEAST).

Lexi was at home on July 10 when her mum Michelle heard her scream and watched her walk around in a confused state before falling on to the floor.

Dad Shane, called 999 with the call handler instructing Michelle to start CPR on Lexi immediately.

Michelle took it in turns with her eldest daughter, Allyssa, who had called her partner, Rob, as his mum, Elizabeth Dobb, works as an emergency medical technician at EEAST.

EEAST’s control room had called Bedfordshire Police and PC Ayesha Hussain and PC Katie Dyball were dispatched. PC Hussain took over the CPR from Michelle and Alyssa.

Elizabeth arrived on scene shortly after and was followed by local community first responder Dave Wright who had a defibrillator in his medical kit bag.

Elizabeth was able to administer Lexi with a first shock to try to help restore a normal heart rhythm and when this didn’t happen CPR started again.

Shaun Whittington, an advanced paramedic in urgent care, arrived in an ambulance officer vehicle, followed by an ambulance with emergency medical technician Fiona Lipscombe and Robert Green, another advanced paramedic in urgent care.

A response car from the East Anglian Air Ambulance (EAAA) with Dr Emma Butterfield and critical care paramedic Gary Spitzer had been dispatched to provide advanced critical care and took over the lead on Lexi’s care when they arrived on scene.

The EAAA team performed a rapid general anaesthetic at the scene – a procedure usually only available in a hospital – to protect Lexi’s vital functions and travelled with her in the ambulance while she was transferred to Addenbrooke’s Hospital where Lexi spent a week before being transferred to Great Ormond Street Hospital.

She has been rehabilitating since by gradually increasing the amount of daily activity and is set to return to school next month.

Michelle said: “As a family we are deeply indebted to everyone who helped save Lexi’s life and we cannot express our gratitude enough. Seeing everyone all together again brings back memories of that night and really brings home how lucky we are that Lexi is still with us.

“We would like some good to come from our experience and we are pushing for more members of the public to be taught CPR as you never know when it will be needed.”

Elizabeth said: “It is a good example of what we call the chain of survival. Michelle and Allyssa starting CPR straight away gave Lexi a fighting chance before officers from Bedfordshire Police took over with high-quality CPR.”

PC Hussain said: “This incident is definitely one that will stay with me, knowing that alongside Lexi’s amazing and brave family members, I was able to help ensure they could overcome this terrifying incident.”