• Two district nurses receive heartfelt thanks for saving the life of a man experiencing cardiac arrest
• Michael Joseph received life-saving care after falling ill while driving to a wedding in March 2024
• One year on Michael has fully recovered and has reunited with the nurses at Waters Meeting

Two nurses who provided urgent care to a man experiencing a heart attack have received a heartfelt thank you, one year on from their life-saving actions.

In March 2024, Michael Joseph, a solicitor from Bolton, was driving along Blackburn Road on his way to a family wedding, when he was suddenly struck by a crushing pain in his chest.

Joined in the car by his brother, who had travelled from Australia for the wedding, they pulled over and made their way to Waters Meeting Health Centre in the hope of finding help.

It was there two nurses from Bolton NHS Foundation Trust, Sara Trend and Charmaine De Jager, dropped everything to provide urgent care.

Michael said:

I knew straight away something was not right. Within moments two doctors and other members of staff joined to help me. They told me I was having a heart attack they focused everything on stabilising my condition.

“Thanks to their quick action, I was soon transferred by North West Ambulance Service to the Cardiac Unit at Wythenshawe Hospital.

Once at hospital, a specialist team performed a successful procedure to save Michael’s life and he was thankfully discharged after a couple of days.

‘There for me in my hour of need’

One year on, Michael’s transformed his life with healthier eating and more exercise, with the support of his friends and family.

In March, Michael returned to Waters Meeting Health Centre to meet Sara and Charmaine to express his gratitude.

A heartfelt thank you to the countless people involved in my care over those few days and throughout the past year. The dedication, skill, and compassion of all the medical staff has given me a second chance at life, and for that, I will forever be grateful.

“Thankfully, I am feeling so much better now, and I’m immensely grateful for the strength and recovery I’ve experienced.

“One of the things I’ve come to truly value is the incredible care I received from the NHS staff who were there for me in my hour of need. Their dedication and professionalism are something I will forever be thankful for.

Both Charmaine and Sara received an award from the Trust, which recognised how they went above and beyond to save Michael’s life.

Sara Trend, Treatment Room Nurse at Bolton NHS Foundation Trust, said:

We are so happy that Michael has recovered so well and continues to go from strength to strength. Not only that, he also shares his story, promotes good health, and spreads the word on heart health. He is inspiring to myself and others. It was fantastic to see him looking so well. I am extremely touched by his visit, his generous gift of a beautiful framed poem, and a selection of delicious fresh fruit. He is a true gentleman that I had the privilege to care for.

“His story will help to raise awareness about cardiac arrests and help us to continue to spread the word on how important health checks are for preventing serious illness.

Charmaine De Jager, Treatment Room Nurse at the Trust, added:

We all remember the day Michael came in and how poorly he was. It was a privilege to be able to meet Michael again one year on and seeing how far he has come on his journey to recovery. We’re all delighted to have been able to make such a big difference to his life.