Douaa Sultan, 24, had only just started her career as an insurance broker when she decided to take a CPR course to impress her manager. Two weeks later, she used those same skills to save her own father's life. Hussam, a 54-year-old banking executive, suffered a sudden cardiac arrest in the front garden of their Bedfordshire home in September 2024.
A quick-thinking neighbour had already dialled 999 when Douaa rushed outside and took over chest compressions. Emergency services arrived within 25 minutes, sending three ambulances and a helicopter. Hussam was placed in an induced coma and woke two days later with a head injury and a fractured rib.
Training That Made a Difference
Douaa joined the St John Ambulance course in August 2024 after finishing university and starting her job. Initially hesitant because the office already had trained first aiders, she was encouraged by her line manager to attend the two-day event. During the training, she learned wound dressing, the DR ABC assessment checklist, and CPR delivery.
She recalled her trainer's words: 'I hope you'll never have to use the CPR, but it's good to have.' That hope lasted only weeks.
The Day Everything Changed
On the morning of the cardiac arrest, Hussam had exercised at the gym on an empty stomach, with his heart rate reaching 169 beats per minute on the treadmill—just above the British Heart Foundation's recommended limit of 168 for his age. After returning home with breakfast and gardening supplies, he went outside. 'The last thing I remember is closing the door behind me... then that's it,' he said.
Douaa and her mother heard shouting from inside but thought a child had fallen off a bicycle. When they saw Hussam on the ground, adrenaline took over. Douaa said: 'I think I was just completely overtaken by adrenaline... I locked in. You're face down over the body, and you know what you have to do. It's hard, and it's even harder when it's your dad.'
Compressions Under Pressure
She performed chest compressions until paramedics arrived, hearing her father's ribs crack. 'It felt awful, but I knew I had to carry on to save him,' she said. Once the medical team took over, Douaa stepped away to process the shock. The family endured difficult conversations about Hussam's recovery, which depended heavily on the quality of the CPR. 'It very much depended on how well I performed the CPR because that would have determined how much oxygen remained in the bloodstream to get to the brain,' she explained.
Statistics from the British Heart Foundation show that fewer than 10% of people survive an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in the UK. Luckily, when Hussam woke up, he could perfectly answer questions about the year and his wedding anniversary.
Recovery and New Beginnings
Hussam spent 11 days in hospital. Doctors determined that genetics placed him at higher risk for cardiac problems and advised him to drink more water, reduce stress, and change his daily diet. His wife, Boutaina, was so inspired by the rescue that she completed her own first-aid training six months later.
Douaa now urges everyone to learn first aid. 'It's a skill that you have for life. I want everyone to go and sign up... because how often do you do first aid training and then actually save a life?' she said.
The St John Ambulance Lifesavers at Work Awards are accepting nominations until Friday, September 4. Nominations for workplace heroes can be submitted via the official St John Ambulance website.
