A young first aider from Frome has been praised after saving her mum’s life.
Ulanda McLoughlin joined St John Ambulance less than a year ago, but the 11-year-old knew exactly what to do when she found her mum, Abby Needs, unconscious.
Abby is diabetic and passed out on Sunday 10th May after her blood sugar levels dropped, following a busy afternoon gardening and walking the dog.
Left unchecked, she could have slipped into a coma, or worse. Fortunately, Ulanda and her sister, Carys (9) arrived home from a weekend away and found her.
Ulanda, a pupil at Frome’s Oakfield Academy said, “Mum’s eyes were wide open but she was asleep. I tried to wake her up and mum started to try and speak but she couldn’t talk properly – I think her tongue was swollen.
“It was a bit scary but I’d seen her go into a diabetic hypo before, when I was little, and I’ve learned more about how to treat one since I became a St John Ambulance Cadet and was taught first aid.”
Ulanda phoned her grandmother and called 999. By the time an ambulance arrived, she had kept her sister calm and got Abby’s medication ready, as well as keeping her comfortable and putting her into the recovery position.
After being given a glucose injection, Abby made a swift recovery, but she knows how close she came to death and is hugely grateful to her daughter.
Abby, who works as an apprentice administrator with Bluebird Care said, “Ulanda was brilliant – she’s my little star and she saved my life.
“It’s all thanks to the confidence that St John Ambulance has given her – she just got on with looking after me and using her first aid training.”
For more information on St John Ambulance’s work, including how to become a volunteer and details of training for the public, schools and businesses, visit www.sja.org.uk or call 08700 10 49 50.
