As Dr. Veera Kaengkasikarn jogged on the field of Bangkok’s Boonyachinda Stadium one early spring day, he was thinking about only one thing: the current football match. The 65-year-old, who served as deputy permanent secretary at the Ministry of Education in Thailand, played recreational football regularly at the 3550-seat stadium and was enjoying the day’s game, buoyed by the cheers of friends and supporters in the stands.
But the energy shifted when Kaengkasikarn suddenly collapsed on the field. Recognizing a cardiac arrest emergency, several rescuers immediately rushed onto the field to help. One of them, 37-year-old police captain Suthasinee Measa, had some knowledge of sudden cardiac arrest from nursing school and immediately called for an AED. Fortunately, a ZOLL AED Plus® defibrillator was located nearby in the stadium and another rescuer quickly brought it to the scene.
“The ZOLL AED guided me throughout the resuscitation…it was quite easy.”
— Suthasinee Measa,
police captain and SCA rescuer
“I tried to stay calm and [apply the AED] as quickly as possible,” Measa says. Although Measa’s previous experience using an AED had only been in classroom practice – never in a real-life emergency – the device’s built-in guidance, including audio prompts, helped simplify the process and reduce stress. “The ZOLL AED guided me throughout the resuscitation,” Measa says. “It was quite easy.”
Kaengkasikarn, who had no previous history with cardiac arrest, was taken to Chulabhorn Hospital, where he was treated and later sent home to recover. Although he has no memory of the cardiac arrest, he says that following his resuscitation, he felt numb. “I remember asking about the football match,” he recalls.
“AEDs and CPR can make the difference between life and death. If you play sports, make sure there is an AED at the place where you play.”
— Dr. Veera Kaengkasikarn,
SCA survivor
Kaengkasikarn later had the opportunity to meet Measa, along with police lieutenant Thamonwan Chanakiat and L./C. Phumiwat Phusing, who also assisted in the rescue. “I am very grateful to the rescuers who saved my life,” he says.
Reflecting on the experience, Kaengkasikarn says, “AEDs and CPR can make the difference between life and death. If you play sports, make sure there is an AED at the place where you play.”
From left: Police Lieutenant Thamonwan Chanakiat and Captain Suthasinee Measa visit Dr Veera Kaengkasikarn during his recovery in Chulabhorn Hospital.
Having originally supported the police department’s decision to purchase AEDs for the stadium, Measa agrees. “Unforeseen events can happen anytime, anywhere. Having AEDs in public areas where they are easy to access and learning CPR will help save lives.”