A BRAVE teenager who helped save her father’s life after he fell from a tree and suffered severe bleeding from a chainsaw cut has been shortlisted for the Guy Evans Young Hero of the Year Award.
Charlotte Cleasby’s father Neil was chopping down a tree with a chainsaw in June last year when he slipped of a ladder and fell ten feet before the falling chainsaw caused two deep cuts to his lower arm, resulting in severe bleeding.
Seventeen-year-old Charlotte acted quickly and kept calm. She applyed direct pressure and used clean tea towels to make a tourniquet to stem the blood loss and by the time paramedics arrived, the bleeding had stopped.
The ambulance crew later told Charlotte’s mother that if she had not reacted so quickly, her father could have died and her quick-thinking has seen her shortlisted as one of 50 finalists for an award at the annual St John Ambulance Everyday Heroes Awards
“I am honoured to be a finalist for this award,” said Charlotte, who is studying her A-levels at King Henry VIII School. “However, I only did what everyone would have done in this situation.
“I have had quite a lot of experience in medical situations as I am preparing my admission for medical school so I got the chance to put some of the things I have learned into practice.
“I am delighted to have helped my dad and have warned him against such dangerous pursuits in the future.”
The St John Ambulance Everyday Heroes Awards is the charity’s yearly celebration of ordinary people who’ve taken extraordinary heroic actions to help someone in need.
Each finalist has been nominated for their heroic life saving skills or unstinting commitment to ensuring more lives are saved through first aid.
The Guy Evans award recognises young people who have saved a life with first aid or made an extraordinary first aid achievement.
Guy Evans died aged 17 following a suspected heart arrhythmia while riding his motorbike. His heart stopped beating, which meant he couldn’t breathe. It is possible that basic first aid – CPR – could have helped to save his life.
“I am very proud of Charlotte and it is fantastic that she is a finalist for this award,” said father Neil.
“Without her quick thinking and calmness under pressure I am not sure it would have ended well for me. Her first aid training saved the day.”
Charlotte will be attending the star studded Everyday Heroes awards in London on September 7, which will be hosted by presenter and musician, Myleene Klass, who saved her own daughter from choking using first aid.
She added: “I feel very privileged to be hosting the St John Ambulance Everyday Heroes awards as I know from personal experience how scary it is when you’re faced with a first aid emergency.
“My own daughter choked when she was just a baby, and I really believe because of the first aid training I’d had, I was able to save her life.
“I’m looking forward to meeting all of the inspiring finalists and hearing their stories. It’s going be an incredible evening.’
To vote for Charlotte as the winner of the Guy Evans Young Hero of the Year award visit sja.org.uk/everydayheroes. Voting closes at midnight on July 31.
