A GRANDMOTHER who collapsed and stopped breathing at her home in London’s East End has been reunited with the ambulance team that saved her life... to thank them. Mother-of-five Veronica Woolcock, 72, who has lived in Dockland nearly 60 years, suffered a cardiac arrest at her home in Poplar

A GRANDMOTHER who collapsed and stopped breathing at her home in London's East End has been reunited this week with the ambulance staff that saved her life... to thank them.

Mother-of-five Veronica Woolcock, 72, who has lived in Dockland nearly 60 years, suffered a cardiac arrest at her home at Abbott-road in Poplar.

Her daughter dialled 999 for an ambulance, and six minutes later paramedic Stan Wood arrived in a fast response car from Silvertown.

"Veronica was on the floor when I arrived and her heart had stopped beating," said Stan.

"Her daughter was carrying out cardio-pulmonary resuscitation, which greatly improves a patient's chances of survival."

Stan used a defibrillator to send an electric shock into Veronica's heart.

Seconds later, her heartbeat and breathing returned.

Three more ambulance service members arrived from their base two miles away at Harford-street in Mile End, motorcycle paramedic Michael Denning, paramedic Michael Madigan and medical technician Michael Casizzi.

Veronica was then taken by ambulance to the Royal London Hospital at Whitechapel, where she made a full recovery.

"I don't remember anything of that day at all, just coming round in hospital a couple of weeks later," Veronica recalled.

"I wanted to meet the ambulance men who saved my life as soon as I got home from hospital.

"I can't thank them enough. I've always been very independent, and with their help I'm looking after myself again."

The reunion was held at Veronica's home, with the ambulance team meeting her with one of her daughters, Janice, and two grandchildren, Jo and Sam.

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The London Ambulance Service, which provides training free to the public, received more than 113,000 calls from patients reporting potential cardiac or chest pain-related problems in 2006-07 alone.

People interested in learning cardio-pulmonary resuscitation, which is what Veronica's daughter was doing when paramedic s arrived at her home, and how to save a life in a medical emergency can call 020-7463 3120, email resustraining@lond-amb.nhs.uk, or go online at:

www.londonambulance.nhs.uk