Heroic student and butcher praised for saving woman who collapsed in Brierley Hill
A student nurse and a butcher have been commended for their bravery after saving a woman’s life.
Olivia Jane Hanson, who studies adult nursing at the University of Wolverhampton, helped save the life of a woman who had suffered a cardiac arrest while shopping in Brierley Hill last year.
The 27-year-old rushed to the rescue after spotting a crowd surrounding a woman lying on the floor in the high street.
After calling for an ambulance, Olivia dropped her bags and began performing CPR alongside local butcher, Gordon Tranter.
The woman collapsed outside Alan Warwick Butchers, in Moor Centre, Brierley Hill on June 17. She survived but had to have surgery.
Putting her knowledge from her degree into action and following instructions from West Midlands Ambulance Service, the student nurse carried out chest compressions and gave rescue breaths until the ambulance arrived.
Following the extraordinary efforts of Olivia and Gordon, the woman recovered from the incident and is now happy and well.
After hearing about the heroic acts of two anonymous lifesavers, Councillor Adam Davies, who represents the Brierley Hill ward at Dudley Council, reached out on Facebook for the local heroes to come forward.
Councillor Davies nominated the pair for the West Midlands Ambulance Service’s Excellence in the Community Awards, for which both were commended for their bravery and commitment on November 17.
Olivia, who is in her final year at the University of Wolverhampton, said: “When I realised what was happening, my adrenaline had just taken over. All I could think was ‘I really need to save this lady’, she could be someone’s mother, sister, wife, or grandmother – I wasn’t stopping until I could do everything in my power to save her.
“The sense of relief when I felt a pulse coming back, was a feeling like no other.
“The whole experience was so surreal. As soon as the lady was transferred into the ambulance, that was it – I got to my car and carried on with my day. Then when I saw the post on Facebook, I thought ‘that’s me'.
“I’m so honoured to have been recognised, I feel like I did what anyone would do in an emergency situation, but I’m so proud to have saved a life and have never been more certain about my career as a nurse.”
Councillor Davies said: "I'm so glad that Olivia has now officially received this award which she so rightly deserves.
"Between them, Olivia and Gordon did a very special thing, they saved a life. I really hope the story of the role they both played will help to inspire other student nurses, town centre butchers and others to do exactly what Olivia and Gordon did when that awful moment came – to step up and try."
