Straight from the heart

Above: Graeme Tulloch

Christmas Day looked very different for Graeme Tulloch just over a decade ago.

At the time, the retired schoolteacher living in Mildura was recovering in the coronary care ward at St Vincent’s after experiencing an out of hospital sudden cardiac arrest while riding his bike.

The story ends well for Graeme (who is now back on his bike), but it could have very easily taken a turn for the worst had it not been for some good samaritans who came to his aid.

Four bystanders saw Graeme collapse and immediately stepped in to help, administering CPR until the ambulance arrived.

“If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be here today,” said Graeme, who was later flown to Melbourne by air ambulance and transferred to St Vincent’s where he was put in an induced coma for five days.

“When I woke up, I was shocked to hear what had happened to me,” said Graeme.

He remained at St Vincent’s for the next five weeks while he recovered. 

“The nurses and doctors at St Vincent’s called me the miracle man,” Graeme recalled. 

“The care I received here was simply fantastic. I even came back a few years later to thank them again for all they had done for me. I was so impressed by the professionalism of the staff but also the kindness in the way my care was administered,” he said.

Heart of the matter
Graeme was inspired by the experience and keen to give back to the community, which prompted him to start a free CPR training program servicing Midura and surrounding areas.

Together with his close friend, Phil Kettle, whose brother died from a cardiac arrest, the pair created a community initiative called Hands on Heart Australia.

Launched in May 2023, the not-for-profit program is run by volunteers and administered by the Mildura Lions Club. Since its inception, more than 1200 people have been trained in the Sunraysia area.

Graeme’s goal is to have 2000 people trained in CPR in his local community in the next two years. The initiative has also expanded to other parts of Australia through the Lions Club Network, including most recently, Cabarita Beach Pottsville Lions Club.

“The most important takeaway for me from this experience is that there are people in the community who are prepared to help others in need and those people who stopped to help me have given me a second chance at life,” said Graeme.

“It’s what got me thinking about the value of a program like this. Having more people in the community trained in CPR to potentially save another person’s life is my aim. The community stepped up for me and I am now stepping up for the community.”

SVHM Cardiologist Associate Professor Elizabeth Paratz said early bystander interventions are crucial and can more than double chances of survival for patients who have an out of hospital sudden cardiac arrest.

Out of hospital sudden cardiac arrest is one of the major causes of death worldwide, resulting in four million deaths a year. More than 33,000 cardiac arrests occur annually across Australia.

“Programs like Graeme's will help more people survive a cardiac arrest, and, importantly, survive well,” said A/Prof Paratz.

“In many European countries, it is now mandatory to undertake CPR training courses in order to hold a driving licence. These programs are now being piloted in some areas of Australia.”

A/Prof Paratz is currently leading award-winning research that has enhanced care for people suffering out of hospital cardiac arrest and helped identify at-risk and vulnerable populations needing targeted support.

The research also included support for wider defibrillator availability in the local community.

Graeme recently featured on the Heart Foundation’s Stories from the Heart podcast.

Above: Associate Professor Elizabeth Paratz, Cardiologist at St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne